;VERY 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

Mrs  A.   F.   Morrison 


/ 


HEROES   OF   THE    DAWN 


WHERE  THE  MOONBEAMS  MADE  A  PATHWAY  ON  THE  GRASS  FIOXN 
SAW  TWO  FAIR  YOUNG  GIRLS 

THE  LAKE  or  soRSOw-f? 


HEEOES    OF 
THE    DAWN 

BY    VIOLET    RUSSELL 

ILLUSTRATED    BY    BEATRICE   ELVERY 


NEW    YORK  — THE    MACMILLAN    CO. 

LONDON  &  DUBLIN— MAUNSEL  &  CO.,  LTD. 

1914 


Printed  by  R.  &  R.  CLARK,  LIMITED,  Edinburgh 


TZ-8.1 


JL 


TO  BRIAN  AND  DIARMUID 

WHEN  you  were  small,  and  could  not  read  for  yourselves, 
and  the  long  winter  twilights  were  wearisome  to  you — sitting 
by  the  Jire  while  the  shadows  played  with  each  other  over  the 
room  I  told  you  these  stories  of  ancient  days,  when  magic  and 
mystery  and  the  folk  of  the  other  world  were  part  of  every  one's 
life  and  every  one's  belief. 

It  is  because  you  cared  for  them  that  I  have  re-written  some 
of  those  about  Fionn  and  his  warriors,  thinking  that  other 
children  might  wish — a*  you  did — to  know  something  about  the 
old  gods  so  often  mentioned  in  the  legends,  and  about  Fionn  and 
the  Fianna  Eireann. 

I  would  like  to  think,  too,  that  in  these  old  stones  you  will 
Jind  something  more  than  mere  adventure  or  enchantment,  for  I 
would  have  you  see  in  them  a  record  of  some  qualities  which  the 
heroes  of  ancient  times  held  to  be  of  far  greater  worth  than 
anything  else — an  absolute  truthfulness  and  courtesy  in  thought 
and  speech  and  action  ;  a  nobility  and  chivalry  of  mind  which 
refused  to  believe  evil  of  any  one,  and  was  ever  ready  to 
praise  the  good  in  an  enemy  ;  and  a  generosity  which  would  give 
to  the  very  end.  For  the  heroes  knew  that  in  possessing  these 
qualities  they  owned  a  greater  wealth  than  any  king  of  the 
world  had  power  to  bestow,  and  this  is  the  wealth  I  desire  for 
you  beyond  all  else. 


433031 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


THE    ANCIENT    GODS  1 

FIONN  9 

THE    ENCHANTMENT    OF   TARA  23 

THE    FAERY    HARPER  37 

THE    CHASE    OF    GLEANN-NA-SMOL  46 

SCATHACH    OF    THE    SHADOWS  63 

THE    LAKE    OF    SORROW  72 

THE    MYSTERIOUS    HOUND  85 

THE    PURSUIT    OF   THE    GILLA    DECAIR  99 

THE    FAERY    WOMAN  127 

THE    ENCHANTED    CAVE  139 

THE    HOUSE    OF   THE    PHANTOMS  150 

THE    COMING    OF   THE    CARLE  159 

THE    HOSTING    OF    SLIEVE-NA-MAN  187 

vii 


viii       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

PAGE 

THE    DEATH    OF   OSCUR  202 

OISIN    GOES   TO    TIR-NA-NOGE  212 

THE    PASSING    OF   THE    FIANNA  219 

THE    RETURN    OF    OISIN  227 

THE    SHIELD    OF   MANANNAN  241 

THE    SLUMBER   OF    FIONN  248 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTKATIONS 

BLACK  AND  WHITE  DRAWINGS 

FACE  PAGE 

THE  ANCIENT  GODS — "  Wherever  he  went  a  num- 
ber of  white  birds  flew  with  him "  .  4 

FIONN — "  They  found  him  lying  peacefully  asleep  on 

his  bed  of  skins  and  rushes "     .  .  .         14 

THE  FAERY  HARPER — "The  little  man  had  become 
transformed  into  a  very  beautiful  and  gigantic 
figure "  .  .  .  -  .  .  .  42 

THE    CHASE    OF     GLEANN-NA-SMOL ".The    whole    day 

he  and  the  woman  fought  together  "      .  .         56 

SCATHACH  OF  THE  SHADOWS — "The  beast  changed 

instantly  into  a  beautiful  girl "  .  .         66 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND — "  One  of  the  three  men 

lay  motionless  on  the  ground "  .          '  .         96 

THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  GiLLA  DECAiR — "  A  deep  clear 
spring  of  running  water  bubbled.  Diarmuid 
walked  over  to  it "  .  .  .  .114 

THE   FAERY  WOMAN — "  The  enchantress,  slipping  a 

golden  collar  on  her  neck,  held  her  in  leash  "        134 

THE    ENCHANTED   CAVE — "  They  seized   the  heroes 

and  bound  them  fast  "  .  .  .  .144 

THE  HOUSE  OF  THE  PHANTOMS — "  There  before  him 

stood  three  figures "       .  .  .  .154 

ix 


x  HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

FACE  PAGE 

HOSTING    OF    SLIEVE-NA-MAN  — "  Round    his    head 

shone  the  red  light  of  battle  "  .  .  .     200 

THE  DEATH  OF  oscuR — "At  last  he  found   Oscur, 

leaning  on  his  left  arm  "...      208 

PASSING  OF  THE  FIANNA — " ' I  am  the  candle-holder 

of  the  king,'  the  stranger  replied "        .  .     224 

THE  RETURN  OF  oisiN — "  We  rode  on,  passing  many 

other  islands "  .  .  .  .  .     230 

THE    SHIELD    OF    MANANNAN  — "  Manannan    put    a 

powerful  enchantment  on  the  shield  "  .     246 

THE  SLUMBER  OF  vioNN  — "  Lying  on  the  sandy 
ground  was  a  multitude  of  armed  and  gigantic 
men "  250 


COLOURED  ILLUSTRATIONS 

THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW — "Where  the  moonbeams 
made  a  pathway  on  the  grass  Fionn  saw  two 
fair  young  girls  "...  Frontispiece 

THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA — "Through  the  dark- 
ness  came  a  shaft  of  flame.  Fionn  raised  his 
shield  to  catch  it "  .  .  .  .32 

THE   COMING   OF   THE   CARLE  —  "On  the  hill-top  a 

strange  and  wonderful  man  appeared  "  .      184 

OISIN    GOES   TO    TIR-NA-NOGE  —  "They   saw,  riding 

out  of  the  sunset,  a  beautiful  young  girl  "         .     212 


THE   ANCIENT   GODS 

MANY  thousands  of  years  ago — long,  long 
before  the  time  of  Fionn  mac  Cumall  and  his 
heroes,  of  whom  the  following  stories  are 
written — there  lived  in  Ireland  a  wise  and 
beautiful  race  of  people,  who  were  called  the 
Tuatha  de  Danann.  So  wise  was  this  race 
that  the  people  who  lived  in  after  ages  called 
them  gods,  and  these  were  the  gods  whom 
Fionn  and  his  warriors  loved  and  invoked  in 
time  of  need ;  and  because  some  of  their 
names  occur  very  frequently  in  the  stories  I 
will  tell  you  a  little  about  a  few  of  them. 

Just  as  we  of  these  later  ages  have  fathers 
and  mothers,  so  the  gods  had  a  father  and 
mother,  and  the  name  of  the  father  was 
Dagda,  and  that  of  the  mother  Dana.  The 
gods  were  able  to  do  all  kinds  of  wonderful 

things ;  they  could   make   themselves   visible 

B 


2          HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

or  invisible  at  will,  and  they  could  change 
into  any  form  they  chpse.  It  is  said  of  the 
Dagda -'that  he' had :.  an  enchanted  harp,  in 
which  ;tfc6  afttfsi'CfWas  spell-bound,  and  he  alone 
could  call  it  forth.  "  When  he  played,  summer 
would  break  in  bud  and  blossom  all  over  the 
land ;  or  winter  with  its  snows  and  frosts 
would  come ;  or  sleep  or  laughter  or  tears 
would  fall  on  all  who  heard  the  music. 

The  Tuatha  de  Danann  had  some  very  fierce 
enemies,  called  the  Fomorians,  and  once,  when 
they  were  fighting  together,  the  Fomorians 
captured  the  Dagda's  harp,  and  carried  it  away 
to  hang  in  their  feasting-hall.  But  the  Dagda, 
with  some  companions,  went  in  pursuit  of  it, 
and  when  they  reached  the  hall  the  Dagda 
called  to  his  harp,  saying :  "  O  holder  of 
summer  and  winter,  of  sleep  and  joy  and 
sorrow,  come  to  me."  Immediately  the  harp 
rushed  down  from  the  wall  and  hurried  to  its 
master,  killing  those  of  the  Fomorians  who 
were  in  its  way.  Then  the  Dagda  touched 
the  magic  wires,  and  the  first  music  that  he 
played  made  the  Fomorians  sorrowful;  the 
women  and  children,  and  even  the  great 


THE  ANCIENT  GODS  3 

warriors,  wept  and  lamented  as  though  all 
they  held  dearest  had  gone  from  them.  Then 
he  played  the  second  strain,  and  they  all  ceased 
their  weeping  and  laughed  for  joy.  He  played 
again,  and  this  time  a  deep  sleep  fell  upon  all 
who  heard  the  music,  and  the  Dagda  and  his 
companions  left  the  hall  and  went  back  in 
safety  to  their  own  people. 

It  is  from  Dana,  the  great  mother  of  the 
gods,  that  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  derived 
their  name,  which  means  "  children  of  the 
goddess  Dana."  She  is  very  often  called  the 
Mor  Riga,  or  "  Great  Queen,"  too,  and  when- 
ever her  people  went  into  battle  she  watched 
over  them.  Once  there  was  a  great  battle 
fought  between  the  Fomorians  and  the  Tuatha 
de  Danann,  and  when  the  Fomorians  were 
conquered  the  Mor  Riga  changed  herself  into 
a  grey-necked  crow,  and  proclaimed  the  victory 
to  all  the  people  of  Ireland,  and  to  the  high 
mountains  and  rivers  and  headlands,  singing : 

Peace  up  to  Heaven, 
Heaven  down  to  earth  ; 
Earth  under  Heaven, 
Strength  in  every  one. 


4          HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Sometimes,  too,  when  great  heroes  were 
dying  Dana  would  appear  to  them  in  the 
form  of  a  grey-necked  crow. 

The  Dagda  had  a  beautiful  son  called 
Angus  Oge,  or  Angus  the  young.  Wherever 
he  went  a  multitude  of  white  birds  flew  with 
him,  and  the  sweet  singing  of  these  birds 
brought  love  into  the  hearts  of  all  who  heard 
them.  Angus  is  supposed  to  have  made  his 
home  at  Newgrange,  near  the  Boyne — the 
underground  temple  which  was  formerly  called 
Brugh  na  Boinne.  The  old  stories  say  that 
three  trees  grew  there  which  were  always 
heavy  with  fruit,  and  whoever  rested  at  Brugh 
na  Boinne  and  ate  of  this  fruit  would  be 
deathless. 

One  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  gods  is 
Manannan  mac  Lir,  who  is  lord  of  the  sea. 
In  ancient  times,  when  ships  were  in  danger 
of  being  wrecked,  the  sailors  would  call  on 
Manannan,  and  he  would  appear  and  guide 
them  to  a  place  of  safety.  Manannan's  home 
was  on  a  wonderful  island  far  out  in  the 
western  sea,  but  sailors,  passing  to  and  fro  in 
their  ships,  were  unaware  that  this  island 


WHEREVER  HE  WENT  A  NUMBER  OF  WHITE  BIRDS  FLEW  WITH  HIM 


THE  ANCIENT  GODS  5 

existed,  for  Manannan  cast  an  enchanted  mist 
over  it  which  rendered  it  invisible.  Sometimes 
Manannan  would  entice  great  kings  and  heroes 
to  his  isle,  where  death  and  sorrow  were 
unknown,  but  after  a  time  spent  there,  which 
seemed  to  the  visitors  no  more  than  a  day  or 
two,  they  would  return  to  their  own  people, 
only  to  find  that  their  visit  to  the  faery  island 
of  youth  had  extended  over  months,  and 
sometimes  years. 

Two  very  magical  things  Manannan  pos- 
sessed :  one  was  a  boat  called  the  Ocean- 
Sweeper,  and  whoever  used  that  boat  needed 
neither  oar  nor  sail — they  simply  wished  to  be 
at  the  place  they  were  bound  for,  and  the 
Ocean- Sweeper  glided  swiftly  over  the  sea,  and 
were  the  waves  high  as  mountains  it  was  not 
hindered  in  its  progress.  The  other  was  a 
milk-white  horse,  Enbarr  of  the  Flowing  Mane, 
which  could  travel  over  the  sea-waves  as 
quickly  as  it  could  on  land,  and  never  get  wet ; 
it  could  fly  through  the  air,  too,  more  swiftly 
than  the  strong  wind  blows  in  March.  Some- 
times, when  one  or  other  of  the  heroes  had 
any  great  deeds  to  perform,  Manannan  would 


6          HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

lend  his  Ocean-Sweeper  and  his  white  horse 
to  them,  so  that  they  should  not  fail. 

But  the  great  champion  of  the  gods  was 
Lugh  Lam-Fada,  or  Lugh  of  the  Long  Hand. 
When  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  were  oppressed 
by  their  enemies  the  Fomorians,  Lugh  came 
riding  from  the  Land  of  the  Ever- Young  on 
the  white  horse  of  Manannan,  with  a  light  like 
sunrise  round  his  head,  and  armed  with  a  fiery 
sling.  He  urged  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  to 
fight,  saying  he  would  lead  them  against  their 
enemies.  So,  when  they  had  made  all  their 
preparations,  Lugh  led  them  out ;  and  Balor, 
the  giant  Fomorian  king,  whose  eye  of  evil 
either  killed  or  turned  to  stone  whoever  it 
looked  upon,  led  out  his  people,  and  the 
opposing  armies  fought  a  great  battle  on  the 
plain  of  Moytura.  In  the  midst  of  the  fight 
the  battle-fury  came  on  Lugh,  and  he  rushed 
out  before  all  his  people  and  with  his  sling  of 
fire  threw  a  magic  ball  of  light  into  Balor 's  eye 
of  death,  so  that  the  giant  Fomorian  died  and 
his  people  were  utterly  routed.  Then  the  Mor 
Riga  sang  her  song  of  victory,  as  I  have  told  you 
before,  and  peace  came  to  the  people  of  Ireland. 


THE  ANCIENT  GODS  7 

Lugh  was  also  called  the  Ildana,  that  is, 
the  man  of  many  arts,  because  he  knew  and 
could  do  anything.  He  could  write  a  poem, 
or  play  the  harp,  or  build  a  house,  or  fight  a 
battle,  equally  well,  he  had  so  much  learning. 

The  last  of  the  gods  that  I  shall  tell  you 
about  now  was  Fintann,  who  was  also  called  the 
Salmon  of  Knowledge.  Sometimes  he  would 
change  himself  into  a  salmon,  and  go  to  a 
sacred  well  where  nine  mysterious  hazel-trees 
grew,  which  were  called  the  hazel-trees  of 
wisdom.  They  produced  their  blossoms  and 
leaves  and  nuts  at  the  same  time,  and  as  the 
nuts  dropped  from  the  trees  to  the  surface  of 
the  water  Fintann  would  eat  them,  and  so  he 
gained  wisdom  of  all  that  had  been  or  would 
be.  The  legends  say  it  is  this  Salmon  of 
Knowledge  that  Fionn  mac  Cumall  touched 
with  his  thumb  one  day,  when  he  was  a  boy, 
and  so  gained  his  knowledge  of  the  past  and 
the  future. 

At  the  time  that  Fionn  and  his  heroes 
lived,  the  gods  made  themselves  visible  very 
often ;  perhaps  that  was  because  the  people 
living  then  believed  so  thoroughly  in  them. 


8          HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Perhaps  the  reason  they  do  not  show  them- 
selves so  frequently  now  is  because  most  of 
us  believe  in  other  things,  and  do  not  think 
very  much  about  these  ancient  gods  of  our 
country. 


FIONN 

ABOUT  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  a  very 
holy  man,  who  was  known  as  St.  Patrick,  was 
walking  over  Ireland  with  a  number  of  his 
pupils,  some  of  whom  were  ordered  by  him  to 
write  down  the  various  events  which  happened 
to  them  as  they  journeyed  through  the  land, 
bringing  to  people  a  new  religion  to  replace 
their  worship  of  the  ancient  gods. 

One  day  they  were  gathered  together  on 
a  rath  where,  two  or  three  centuries  before, 
Fionn  mac  Cumall  with  his  hero-hunters  had 
often  rested,  and  as  they  looked  out  over  the 
plain  they  saw  approaching  them  a  little  band 
of  very  tall  and  ancient  men,  accompanied 
by  huge  wolf-hounds.  So  tall  were  they 
that  the  tallest  of  Patrick's  men  reached  only 
to  their  waists.  Patrick  and  his  followers 
grew  afraid  as  they  looked  on  the  old  men, 


10        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

for  they  thought  these  were  surely  the  shadows 
of  mighty  beings  who  had  lived  on  the  earth 
long  ages  before.  With  slow  and  heavy  foot- 
steps the  ancients  drew  nearer,  until  they 
stood  before  St.  Patrick. 

They  looked  at  each  other  in  silence,  then 
St.  Patrick  questioned  them  : 

"  Who  and  what  are  you  ? "  he  asked. 
"  Are  you  living,  or  have  you  returned  from 
the  land  of  the  dead  ? " 

"  I  am  Caeilte'  mac  Ronan,  a  chief  of  the 
Fianna  Eireann,"  said  the  leader  of  the  little 
band.  "My  friends  were  the  noble  Fionn, 
brown-haired  Diarmuid,  and  Oscur  the  brave. 
Alas,  but  few  of  us  remain  ;  only  Oisin  with 
nine  men,  I  and  my  nine  men :  soon  we, 
too,  shall  join  our  comrades  in  the  Isles  of 
Promise." 

Patrick  and  his  people  listened  to  Caeilte's 
words  with  great  astonishment,  and  wondered 
that  any  one  could  live  so  long.  Some  of 
them  were  inclined  to  disbelieve  him,  but  the 
wise  Patrick  knew  that  he  spoke  the  truth, 
and  for  many  months  kept  Caeilte  with  him 
as  he  travelled  to  and  fro  through  Ireland. 


FIONN  11 

As  they  came  to  one  after  another  of  the 
places  where  Fionn  and  his  famous  warriors 
had  hunted  or  battled,  Caeilte  would  stop  and 
narrate  to  Patrick  the  history  of  the  place, 
and  tell  of  the  deeds  wrought  by  Fionn  and 
his  heroes,  and  of  the  adventures  which  befell 
them.  Then  Patrick  would  tell  his  chief 
scribe  Brogan  to  write  down  all  that  Caeilte 
said,  so  that  the  memory  of  the  noble  Fionn 
and  his  Fianna  should  be  preserved  to  the 
people  that  came  after. 

To  make  the  following  stories  more  interest- 
ing to  you  I  will  tell  you  something  about  the 
Fianna  Eireann  and  Fionn's  boyhood. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  second  century 
there  was  a  famous  body  of  warrior- hunters — 
known  as  the  Fians,  or  Fianna  Eireann — in 
Ireland.  Of  the  Fianna  two  clans  were  pre- 
eminent :  these  were  the  Clan  Basna,  or 
Leinster  Fians,  over  whom  the  hero  Cumall 
was  chief ;  and  the  Clan  Morna,  or  Connaught 
Fians,  who  were  under  the  chieftainship  of 
Goll  mac  Morna.  Often  these  two  clans  were 
at  enmity  with  each  other,  striving  for  the 


12        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

leadership  of  the  Fianna  Eireann,  and  some- 
times one  would  conquer,  sometimes  the 
other. 

At  this  time  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles 
was  high  king  over  Ireland  and  over  the 
provincial  kings ;  but  Owen  Mor,  king  of  the 
southern  province,  rebelled  and  declared  war 
on  him,  and  Cumall  with  his  Fians  fought  for 
Owen  against  Conn  and  the  Fians  of  Goll 
mac  Morna.  The  battle  was  held  at  Castle 
Knock,  near  Dublin,  where  the  southern  king 
was  defeated  and  Cumall  with  many  of  his 
Fians  were  slain.  The  remnant  of  the  Clan 
Basna  fled  to  the  hills  and  deep  forests,  but 
the  Clan  Morna  pursued  and  destroyed  them 
wherever  they  were  found. 

Fionn,  the  son  of  Cumall — his  real  name 
was  Deimne,  but  I  will  tell  you  later  how  he 
gained  the  name  of  Fionn — was  a  small  baby 
when  his  father  was  killed,  and  he,  too,  would 
have  surely  fallen  a  victim  to  the  swords  of 
the  Clan  Morna  had  not  two  Druidesses 
mysteriously  appeared  one  day,  and  carried 
him  away  with  them  to  the  heights  and  forest 
fastnesses  of  the  Slieve  Bloom  mountains. 


FIONN  13 

There,  in  almost  complete  solitude,  Fionn 
mac  Cumall  was  reared — he  who  in  future 
years  was  to  raise  the  Fianna  Eireann  to  un- 
dreamt-of power,  and  whose  great  deeds 
inspired  the  bards  of  this  and  other  countries 
to  sing  unnumbered  songs  in  his  honour. 

Six  years  passed  away,  then  word  was  sent 
to  Fionn's  mother  Muireen — who  was  said  to 
belong  to  the  faery  people  of  the  Sidhe  (Shee) 
— that  her  boy  was  safe.  In  great  secrecy  and 
haste,  over  bog  and  hill  and  plain,  she  travelled 
till  she  reached  the  hut  that  sheltered  her  little 
boy  and  his  guardians,  and  found  him  lying 
peacefully  asleep  on  his  bed  of  skins  and  rushes. 
She  would  gladly  have  taken  him  home  with 
her,  but  the  Clan  Morna  still  vowed  hostility 
against  any  of  the  Clan  Basna  who  might  be 
living,  and  on  account  of  her  little  son  Muireen 
held  them  in  fear.  When  she  bade  farewell 
to  the  Druidesses  she  asked  them  to  still 
protect  her  child,  and  teach  him  all  that  a 
Fian  should  know,  so  that  when  he  grew  older 
he  could  take  vengeance  on  the  Clan  Morna 
for  the  death  of  his  father  Cumall. 

Soon  after  Muireen  returned  home  it  came 


14        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

to  the  Clan  Morna's  knowledge  that  a  son  of 
Cumall  still  lived,  and  far  and  near  they  sought 
for  him  to  kill  him.  The  wise  Druidesses  had 
foreknowledge  of  this,  and  long  before  the 
Clan  Morna  searched  the  Slieve  Bloom 
mountains  Fionn  had  been  hurried  south  and 
hidden  safely  away  in  the  Galtees ;  but  when 
the  Clan  Morna  gave  up  the  search  and 
returned  to  Tara  this  small  child,  who  was 
hunted  so  relentlessly  by  his  enemies,  was 
carried  back  again  by  the  Druidesses  to  his 
mountain  home. 

Though  very  young,  Fionn  already  showed 
signs  of  that  bravery  and  undaunted  courage 
for  which  he  became  so  famous  in  after  years, 
and  fear  was  unknown  to  him.  As  a  child  he 
would  go  hunting  by  himself  through  forest 
and  over  mountain,  and  return  to  the  Druid- 
esses laden  with  hares  or  wild  fowl ;  when  he 
grew  older  he  would  hunt  and  run  down  the 
swift  deer  on  foot,  and  stand  up  unafraid 
before  the  fiercest  boar. 

Year  after  year  passed  by,  and  when  the 
Druidesses  had  taught  Fionn  all  their  ancient 
wisdom — had  taught  him  also  to  be  noble  and 


THEY  FOUND  HIM  LYING  PEACEFULLY  ASLEEP  ON  HIS  BED  OF 
SKINS  AND  RUSHES 


FIONN  15 

courteous  in  deed  and  speech — he  left  them 
and  wandered  hither  and  thither  through 
the  land,  serving  the  kings  and  chiefs  of  what- 
ever province  he  chanced  to  be  in.  During 
this  period  he  had  many  adventures,  and  gained 
great  fame  as  a  warrior,  though  he  was  still  a 
lad  in  years,  and  unknown  as  the  son  of  Cumall. 
Finally  he  came  to  the  old  poet  Finnegas,  to 
learn  the  art  of  poetry  and  all  that  was  known 
of  the  past  history  of  his  country. 

For  seven  years  Finnegas  had  lived  on  the 
Boyne,  watching  for  an  old  prophecy  to  be 
fulfilled  ;  and  this  prophecy  was  that  one  day 
there  would  appear  up  the  Boyne  a  mysterious 
fish  known  as  the  "  Salmon  of  Knowledge," 
and  that  whoever  caught  and  partook  of  that 
fish  first  would  know  all  things,  both  past  and 
present.  It  was  furthermore  predicted  that 
one  named  Fionn  should  capture  this  fish,  and 
the  old  poet,  believing  that  to  him  the 
prophecy  applied,  waited  patiently  year  after 
year  for  its  fulfilment. 

So  Fionn  had  his  dwelling  with  Finnegas, 
but  the  old  poet  knew  him  only  by  his  name 
of  Deimne.  Day  after  day,  as  the  old  man 


16        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

instructed  Fionn  in  the  making  of  verses  and 
other  learning,  they  watched  the  stream. 
Then  one  afternoon,  in  the  spring  of  the  year, 
with  many  rushes  and  leaps  a  magnificent 
salmon  came  up  stream,  and  stopped  in  the 
deep  and  beautiful  pool  of  Feic,  which  they 
were  sitting  by. 

"  Surely  this  must  be  the  fish  which  the 
prophecy  speaks  of,"  said  Finnegas.  "It  is 
more  beautiful  than  any  I  have  ever  seen 
before.  Catch  it  for  me,  Deimne,  for  you  are 
strong,  and  when  it  is  caught,  roast  it  by  the 
fire.  But  I  put  you  under  geasa  (vow)  not  to 
taste  any  portion  of  it ;  bring  it  to  me  when  it 
is  cooked." 

Fionn  roasted  the  salmon,  and  afterwards 
carried  it  to  Finnegas. 

"  Have  you  eaten  any  of  it,  Deimne  ? " 
asked  the  old  man. 

"  No,"  said  the  youth ;  "  I  gave  you  my 
word,  and  never  yet  have  I  broken  my  promise. 
But  in  turning  the  fish  before  the  fire  I  burnt 
my  thumb  on  its  hot  skin  and  placed  it  in 
my  mouth  to  ease  the  smart." 

"  Then  by  you  is  the  prophecy  fulfilled,  not 


FIONN  17 

by  me,"  said  the  old  man  sorrowfully,  "  and 
Fionn  must  be  your  name." 

Henceforth  Deimne  was  mostly  called 
Fionn,  and  sometimes  the  "  Golden  Salmon  of 
Knowledge,"  because  the  story  says  that  from 
the  time  he  touched  the  salmon  he  had  know- 
ledge of  both  the  past  and  the  future.  When 
he  wished  to  divine  any  special  thing  he  would 
place  his  thumb  in  his  mouth,  and  nothing  was 
hidden  from  him. 

The  foregoing  is  a  legend  which  is  told  in 
many  old  books  of  how  Fionn  gained  his 
wisdom.  You  will  remember  that  I  have 
already  told  you  a  little  about  Fintann,  the 
ancient  Tuatha  de  Danann  god,  who  was 
called  the  "  Salmon  of  Knowledge,"  and  who 
is  said  to  have  appeared  in  the  guise  of  a 
salmon  age  after  age.  This  legend  seems  to 
be  the  record  of  his  last  visible  appearance  on 
earth  ;  afterwards  he  clothed  himself  with  the 
Faed  Fia — the  Veil  of  Invisibility — and  retired 
to  the  Land  of  the  Ever-Living  Ones. 

When  Fionn  had  finished  his  education  by 
perfecting  his  knowledge  on  the  banks  of  the 


18        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Boyne  he  went  forth  boldly  into  all  parts  of 
Ireland,  without  fear  of  the  hostile  Clan  Morna. 
Though  the  Clan  Basna  was  supposed  to  have 
been  exterminated  by  the  Clan  Morna  at  and 
in  the  years  following  the  battle  of  Castle 
Knock,  yet  towards  the  close  of  the  second 
century — when  Conn's  son,  Art  the  Lonely, 
was  reigning  over  Ireland — we  find  the  Clan 
Basna  re-arisen  to  greater  power,  under  the 
leadership  of  Fionn,  than  it  ever  held  before. 
So  powerful  indeed  were  they,  and  so  great 
was  Fionn's  fame  throughout  Ireland  on 
account  of  his  wisdom  and  heroic  deeds,  that 
Art — some  accounts  say  Conn  the  Hundred- 
Fighter — gave  him  the  chieftainship  of  the 
Fianna  Eireann ;  and  Goll  mac  Morna  with 
his  Fians,  putting  their  ancient  enmity  with 
the  Clan  Basna  aside,  placed  their  hands  in 
Fionn's  and  vowed  to  serve  him  and  be  faith- 
ful to  him  as  long  as  they  lived. 

Now,  too,  came  the  Fianna  of  other  pro- 
vinces, who  took  vows  of  faithfulness  also,  and 
the  legends  tell  us  that  strong  and  mighty 
warriors  came  from  Scotland  and  Britain  and 
far-off  countries,  craving  to  be  admitted  into 


FIONN  19 

Fionn's  Fianna.  But  before  Fionn  would 
admit  them  they  had  to  undergo  many  severe 
tests,  demanding  great  courage  and  endurance 
and  chivalry  ;  if  they  failed  in  any  one  of  these 
they  could  not  belong  to  the  Fianna. 

As  the  bodily  strength  and  endurance  of 
the  Fians  had  to  be  greater  than  other  men's 
so,  too,  had  they  to  possess  certain  qualities 
and  virtues.  To  the  Fians  a  promise  was 
sacred — no  matter  what  its  fulfilment  involved 
it  could  not  be  set  aside  or  broken.  Splendid, 
too,  was  their  chivalry  towards  enemies  and 
appreciation  of  the  brave  deeds  of  opponents  ; 
while  their  immense  pride  in  noble  qualities  is 
portrayed,  for  instance,  in  these  words  spoken 
by  Oisin : 

We,  the  Fianna  of  Eireann,  never  uttered  lies, 
Falsehood  was  never  attributed  to  us  : 
By  courage  and  the  strength  of  our  hands 
We  used  to  come  out  of  every  difficulty. 

To  the  Fians  the  telling  of  a  lie  would  have 
been  as  repugnant,  and  as  great  an  act  of 
cowardice,  as  turning  their  backs  on  an  enemy, 
which  they  never  did. 

Nor  was  there  any  meanness  among  the 


20        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Fianna — a  great  generosity  was  characteristic 
of  them  all.  Of  Fionn  especially  it  is  said  he 
was  so  generous  that : 

Were  but  the  brown  leaf  that  the  wood  sheds  from 

it  gold, 

Were  but  the  white  billow  silver, 
Fionn  would  have  given  it  all  away. 

Though  from  the  legendary  accounts  Fionn 
and  his  Fians  appear  to  have  spent  a  great 
portion  of  their  time  in  hunting,  yet  they  had 
a  very  definite  work  to  perform,  for  they  were 
appointed  by  the  high  king  to  be  the  keepers 
of  peace  in  the  land,  and  to  repel  the  invaders 
who  often  came  from  over  sea  to  make  war  on 
Ireland.  It  is  for  that  reason  they  had  so 
many  camping-places  on  the  coast,  and  kept 
watch  and  ward  both  over  sea  and  land. 

For  six  months  in  the  year,  from  May  to 
November,  they  lived  in  camps,  hunting  arid 
supporting  themselves,  and  moving  from  one 
province  to  another  as  they  chose.  From 
November  to  May  some  of  the  Fianna  were 
quartered  on  the  people  throughout  Ireland ; 
but  there  was  always  a  standing  army  of 
Fianna  at  Tara  as  a  guard  to  the  high  king— 


FIONN  21 

we  find  them  spoken  of  as  the  "  Four  Pillars 
of  Tara" — and  always  there  appears  to  have 
been  a  great  number  of  Fians  at  Fionn's  dun 
on  the  Hill  of  Allen. 

For  many,  many  years,  through  the  reign  of 
Art  the  Lonely,  his  son  Cormac  and  grandson 
Cairbre,  the  Fianna  Eireann  continued  their 
glad  and  powerful  career,  light-hearted  and 
joyful  alike  in  time  of  peace  or  in  war.  But 
Fionn  was  now  very  old,  and  trouble  began  to 
brood  between  the  southern  king  and  the  high 
king — the  weak  and  easily-led  Cairbre.  The 
king  of  Munster  prepared  to  make  war  on 
Cairbre,  and  the  Clan  Morna,  their  old  enmity 
and  jealousy  against  the  Clan  Basna  re- 
awakening, chose  this  period  to  desert  from 
the  Fianna  Eireann,  and  by  one  means  and 
another  gained  the  favour  of  King  Cairbre  for 
themselves. 

Now  the  remainder  of  the  Fianna  Eireann 
entered  into  the  service  of  the  Munster  king, 
and  with  him  marched  to  the  plain  of  Gabhra, 
which  lies  near  Tara,  and  opened  battle  on 
Cairbre  and  his  army.  But  the  star  of  power 
for  the  Fianna  Eireann  had  set,  and  though 


22        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

they  conquered  Cairbre  with  his  multitudes 
yet  were  the  Fian-heroes  nearly  all  slain.  The 
story  says  that  of  all  those  who  went  into  the 
battle  only  Fionn's  son  Oisin,  and  Caeilte 
mac  Ronan,  with  a  score  or  two  of  warriors, 
survived.  These,  so  the  legends  tell  us,  lived 
among  the  Ever  -  Living  Ones  until  they 
reappeared  to  St.  Patrick  two  centuries  later, 
and  narrated  to  him  the  life  and  deeds  of 
Fionn  and  his  heroes. 

So,  at  the  battle  of  Gabhra,  in  the  year 
283,  died  the  Fianna  Eireann,  a  band  of  the 
bravest  and  most  knightly  warriors  who  ever 
lived. 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA 

IT  was  the  eve  of  Samhain,  and  a  bitter  north 
wind  was  shrieking  round  the  Rath  of  the 
Kings  at  Tara,  carrying  on  its  icy  breath 
frequent  showers  of  snow  and  hail.  But  the 
cold  fury  of  the  storm  did  not  enter  the  great 
dun,  warm  with  many  fires  and  bright  with 
the  light  from  a  hundred  candles,  each  in  its 
own  bronze  sconce,  and  the  metal  rims  of  the 
warriors'  shields  hanging  on  the  walls  reflected 
the  light  in  a  myriad  rays.  For  to-night  the 
solemn  feast  of  Samhain  began,  and  from  all 
the  provinces  of  Ireland  the  kings,  with  their 
chief  nobles  and  warriors,  had  come  to  keep 
it  with  the  high  king — Conn  the  Hundred- 
Fighter — at  Tara. 

The  night  was  passing  by,  and  the  great 
company  gathered  together  were  eating  and 
drinking,  but  instead  of  laughter  and  the 

23 


24        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

cheerful  sound  of  voices  and  music — as  was 
usual  at  the  feast  of  Samhain — there  was 
silence  ;  and  deep  gloom  rested  over  all,  from 
the  high  king  to  the  serving-men.  Suddenly 
the  graven  bronze  doors  of  the  dun  opened, 
and  a  boy,  taller  than  the  tallest  warrior  there, 
entered  the  hall.  His  mantle  of  skins  was 
white  with  the  falling  snow,  which  glittered 
on  his  fair  hair  and  flecked  his  face  with  water. 
His  blue  eyes  gazed  serenely  around  him  for 
a  moment,  then  with  confident  step  he  walked 
up  the  hall,  through  the  host  of  warriors  seated 
there,  and  stood  at  a  short  distance  from  the 
king's  table. 

Conn  looked  at  him,  wondering  who  this 
youth,  with  the  form  of  a  hero,  and  the  face 
of  a  young  untried  boy,  could  be.  Then 
he  called  the  boy  nearer,  and  questioned 
him : 

"  I  do  not  think  I  have  seen  you  before," 
said  Conn.  "  Who  are  you,  and  have  you 
entered  my  service  ? " 

"  I  am  Fionn  mac  Cumall,"  answered  the 
boy,  "son  of  that  great  chief  of  the  Clan 
Basna  who  met  his  death  fighting  the  Clan 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA  25 

Morna  years  ago.  All  the  years  since  then  I 
have  been  outlawed  by  the  Clan  Morna,  but 
now  I  have  come  to  take  service  with  you 
and  seek  your  friendship." 

"That  I  willingly  give  to  the  son  of 
Cumall,"  said  the  king,  "for  your  father  was 
a  man  of  honour,  and  a  noble,  courteous 
enemy,  and  in  all  his  life  I  never  knew  him  to 
perform  an  ill  deed." 

Then  the  king  took  Fionn  by  the  hand, 
and  placed  him  next  to  his  own  son,  who  was 
called  Art  the  Lonely,  and  they  feasted  and 
talked  together. 

After  a  time  the  king  stood  up,  and  every 
eye  was  turned  towards  him  as  he  began  to 
speak  : 

"  Kings  and  men  of  Ireland,"  he  said,  "  not 
for  us  this  night  will  there  be  rest  or  peace. 
For  many  years  now,  as  you  know,  on  every 
Samhain  eve  Aillen  mac  Midna,  that  un- 
conquerable enchanter,  has  come  from  the 
north  and  destroyed  Tara,  burning  it  to  the 
ground,  and  to-night  he  will  surely  come 
again.  Is  there  one  among  you  all  who  will 
take  it  upon  himself  to  keep  guard  over  Tara, 


26        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

and  kill  this  enchanter  ?  If  there  is  I  will  give 
him  lands  and  wealth,  and  to  the  end  of  his 
days  he  shall  never  know  care  or  want." 

All  the  kings  and  nobles  and  warriors 
looked  at  each  other,  but  not  a  word  spoke 
any  one  of  them.  For  they  remembered 
former  years,  when  Aillen  mac  Midna  had 
come  from  his  secret  home  beyond  the  Boyne 
to  Tara,  and  his  coming  had  always  been 
heralded  by  a  sweet,  slow  music,  which  had 
stolen  their  senses  from  them,  and  left 
their  eyelids  fast  closed  in  a  faery  sleep. 
They  remembered,  too,  that  though  Conn  had 
always  on  Samhain  eve  encircled  his  dun  with 
a  treble  line  of  his  bravest  men,  it  availed  him 
nothing,  for  at  the  sound  of  that  distant 
melody  they  sank  to  the  ground  in  a  deep 
slumber  which  only  the  dawn-light  dispelled. 
Now  they  all  remained  silent,  while  a  surge  of 
shame  and  anger  swept  over  them  because, 
for  all  their  acknowledged  skill  and  courage 
in  battle,  they  were  unable  to  subdue  this 
strange  enemy. 

The  king  sighed  deeply,  then  suddenly  a 
clear,  youthful  voice  rang  through  the  hall : 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA  27 

"  I  will  guard  Tara  this  night,  O  king," 
said  the  boy  Fionn,  "  and  I  pledge  my  word 
that  no  hurt  shall  happen  to  it." 

A  ripple  of  laughter  rang  through  the  hall 
when  the  boy  stood  up  and  spoke  so  bravely, 
taking  upon  himself  the  defence  of  Tara,  which 
not  even  the  most  courageous  man  there 
would  do  that  one  particular  night  of  the  year. 
The  king  regarded  Fionn  steadfastly,  and 
some  glint  in  the  boy's  blue  eyes,  and  a  curious 
light  which  now  and  again  flashed  and  shone 
round  his  head,  brought  hope  to  Conn's  heart 
that  this  night  Tara  would  not  be  doomed. 

"  I  accept  your  pledge,"  said  the  king,  "  for 
though  your  years  are  only  those  of  a  boy, 
your  spirit  is  that  of  a  hero.  If  you  fail — and 
many  great  warriors  have  failed  before — to 
avert  from  Tara  the  desolation  that  has  fallen 
upon  it  so  often,  I  shall  not  hold  you  less 
heroic.  Tf  you  succeed  I  will  give  you  lands 
and  wealth,  and  in  addition  I  will  bestow  on 
you  the  chieftainship  of  Ireland's  Fianna,  which 
Goll  mac  Morna  holds.  But  tell  me  now,  by 
what  means  will  you  conquer  this  powerful 
enchanter  ? " 


28        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  I  do  not  know,  but  something  assures  me 
that  Ail] en  mac  Midna  will  devastate  Tara  no 
more ;  so  rest  in  peace,  O  king,"  said  Fionn, 
with  a  smile. 

As  he  smiled  Conn,  and  his  Druids  also, 
saw  a  mist-like  form  standing  at  Fionn's  back. 
Gradually  it  grew  clearer,  then  a  most  wonder- 
ful being  appeared,  shining  with  a  golden 
light  and  cloaked  with  rainbow  colours.  For 
a  moment  it  stood  there,  then  faded  away  ;  but 
Conn  and  his  wise  men  knew  that  they  had 
looked  upon  one  of  the  ancient  gods — one  of 
those  radiant,  immortal  beings  who,  clothed 
in  flame  and  crowned  with  stars,  are  some- 
times seen  on  the  sacred  mountains  at  twilight. 

Absolute  silence  and  a  deep  feeling  of  awe — 
a  perception  that  some  divine  one  of  long-past 
ages  had  been  among  them — rested  on  every 
one  there  as  Fionn  walked  down  the  hall,  and 
with  a  strange,  distant  look  in  his  eyes,  as 
though  he  beheld  something  unseen  by  others, 
passed  out  into  the  night.  The  snow  had 
ceased  and  the  stars  were  shining  now  ;  the 
wind  had  dropped,  and  only  occasionally 
sounded  in  weird  murmurings  through  the 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA  29 

giant  oak-trees  on  one  side  of  the  rath.  For 
a  few  minutes  Fionn  stood  gazing  upwards 
at  the  starry  sky,  wondering  at  the  curious 
exultation  and  sense  of  power  which  possessed 
him  ;  then,  as  he  felt  a  slight  touch  on  his  arm, 
he  started,  and  looking  down  saw  a  man  of  the 
Fianna  standing  by  his  side,  with  spear  and 
shield  in  his  hands. 

"  Have  you  come  to  keep  guard  with  me  ? " 
asked  Fionn.  "  I  have  given  my  word  to  the 
king  that  I  alone  will  watch  this  night,  and  I 
cannot  break  my  word." 

"  Nay,"  answered  the  man  ;  "  it  is  not  I 
who  would  ask  the  son  of  Cumall  to  break  his 
word.  I  am  Fiacha  mac  Congha,  and  your 
father  was  foster-father  to  me  in  my  youth — 
for  his  sake  I  would  help  his  son.  Though 
the  Invisible  Ones  may  aid  you  this  night,  yet 
have  I  here  with  me  a  shield  and  spear  of 
power  which  may  be  of  some  use  to  you  in 
the  coming  encounter.  The  shield  was 
fashioned  by  Culain,  smith  of  the  Tuatha  de 
Danann  ;  the  spear  was  forged  by  him  also, 
and  a  wrong  cast  never  yet  was  made  by 
it." 


30        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  I  thank  you,"  said  Fionn,  "  it  was  a  kindly 
and  courteous  deed  to  bring  these  to  me." 

"  One  other  thing  there  is,"  said  Fiacha, 
"  when  you  hear  that  sweet  faery  music  sound- 
ing, strip  from  the  spear-head  its  sheath  and 
place  the  weapon  to  your  forehead  ;  in  its 
blade  is  concealed  a  deadly  power  that  will 
aid  you  to  overcome  the  trance-like  sleep  the 
enchanter's  melody  causes.  Perhaps  the  spear 
may  move  and  struggle  in  your  hand,  as  though 
some  spirit  was  imprisoned  in  it ;  but  have  no 
fear,  it  is  only  a  desire  for  battle  that  moves 
it." 

He  turned  to  leave  Fionn,  then  came  back 
and  looked  into  the  boy's  face : 

"  There  is  a  light  in  your  eyes  to-night, 
boy,"  he  continued,  "  which  recalls  to  my  mind 
all  the  high  thoughts  and  noble  dreams  of  my 
youth.  Of  those  dreams  and  thoughts  what 
fulfilment  is  there  ?  Neither  in  song  nor  story 
will  my  name  go  down  to  my  children's 
children  as  a  doer  of  noble  deeds,  or  of  one 
who  has  conquered  evil  powers  ;  my  days  have 
been  spent  in  the  performance  of  little  things." 

"  He  who   does  his   day's   work  of  little 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA  31 

things,"  said  the  boy,  "  is  often  nobler  than  he 
who  has  wrought  great  deeds." 

"  You  speak,"  said  Fiacha,  "  with  a  wisdom 
which  I  thought  only  the  old  possessed ;  a 
wisdom  taught  by  much  suffering  and  many 
failures,"  then  with  slow  footsteps  he  left 
Fionn  and  returned  to  the  banqueting  hall. 

In  loneliness — except  for  a  huge  silver-grey 
hound  which  accompanied  him — Fionn  paced 
round  the  rath.  Three  times  he  had  ac- 
complished its  circuit,  when  the  dog  by  his 
side  lifted  its  head  and  howled  mournfully, 
and  shivered  as  though  overcome  by  some 
dreadful  terror.  Fionn  placed  his  hand  on  the 
hound,  and  spoke  comfortingly  to  it ;  then 
looked  intently  into  the  darkness  to  see  what 
thing  of  fear  was  approaching.  He  could  see 
nothing,  and  resumed  his  steady  pacing.  Soon, 
however,  a  faint,  low  music  fell  on  his  ears,  and 
he  stood  listening  to  it.  So  sweet,  so  wonder- 
ful was  it,  that  it  placed  an  enchantment  on 
his  senses,  and  only  when  he  began  to  feel 
sleep  overpowering  him  did  he  realize  that  this 
was  the  music  of  the  enchanter  Aillen  mac 
Midna,  who  was  coming  to  destroy  Tara. 


32        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Then  he  stripped  the  sheath  from  the  spear- 
head, and  held  the  shining  blade  to  the  centre 
of  his  forehead  ;  as  he  did  so  the  enchantment 
fell  from  him,  and  the  strange  power  hidden 
in  the  blade  filled  him  with  a  new  fearlessness 
and  strength. 

Now  within  the  dun  there  was  silence ; 
listening  to  the  soft,  delicate  music  one 
after  another  of  the  warriors  and  kings  had 
slipped  from  their  seats  and  lay  on  the  floor, 
wrapped  in  a  deep  slumber.  Even  the  Druids 
were  powerless  to  resist  that  sleep-compelling 
melody.  Their  symbols  of  power  dropped 
from  their  hands  as  they,  too,  fell  to  the  floor. 
In  all  that  great  rath  there  was  not  one  soul 
awake,  except  the  young  champion  who  kept 
watch ;  even  warriors,  wounded  almost  to 
death  and  racked  with  pain,  slumbered  peace- 
fully. 

Nearer  and  nearer  the  music  came,  then 
ceased  ;  but  Fionn,  gazing  steadily  before  him, 
became  aware  of  a  gigantic  figure  standing  some 
distance  away,  like  a  darker  blot  on  the  starlit 
darkness  of  the  night.  The  boy  gripped  his 
spear  with  his  brave  right  hand,  holding  his 


THROUGH  THE  DARKNESS  CAME  A  SHAFT  OF  FLAME.       FIONN  RAISED 
HIS  SHIELD  TO  CATCH  IT 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA  33 

shield  firmly  with  his  left.  Then  through  the 
darkness  came  a  shaft  of  flame,  blown  from  the 
enchanter's  mouth,  and  Fionn  raised  his  shield 
to  catch  it.  But  the  shield  changed  to  a  four- 
folded  impenetrable  mantle — woven  from  the 
blue  of  air,  the  green  of  earth,  the  crimson  of 
fire,  and  the  purple  of  ocean — which  caught 
the  magician's  fire-blast  and  scattered  it  on 
every  side  in  showers  of  sparks  which  did  no 
evil.  Again  and  again  Aillen  mac  Midna 
blew  his  venomous  shafts,  and  each  time  the 
mantle  diverted  them  and  rendered  them  harm- 
less. At  last  Aillen  knew  that  some  one,  who 
possessed  a  greater  magic  than  his,  was  defend- 
ing Tara  that  night,  and  full  of  baffled  fury  he 
turned  and  fled. 

When  Fionn  saw  that  the  enchanter  was 
put  to  flight,  he  descended  from  the  high  bank 
of  the  rath  and  pursued  him.  Many  miles  he 
went,  and  when  he  splashed  through  the 
rippling  waters  of  the  Boyne  he  was  close  on 
the  heels  of  the  magician.  At  length  Fionn 
called  out :  "  O  Aillen  mac  Midna,  turn  your 
face  to  me.  Let  it  not  be  said  that  death 

shamefully  overtook  you  in  the  back,  as  you 

D 


34         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

fled  from  a  boy";  but  Aillen  still  continued  his 
flight.  Then  Fionn  poised  his  spear — which 
for  a  long  time  had  struggled  in  his  hand, 
striving  to  free  itself — and  with  all  the 
strength  of  his  arm  threw  it ;  and  so  great  was 
the  force  with  which  he  sent  it  hurtling  through 
the  air  that  it  pierced  straight  through  the 
magician  and  into  a  tree  beyond.  A  few  yards 
further  Aillen  ran,  then  on  the  verge  of  a  pine 
forest  stumbled  and  fell,  and  when  Fionn 
reached  him  he  was  dead. 

A  wave  of  exhaustion  and  weariness  swept 
over  the  boy  as  he  looked  on  the  dead  body  of 
the  enchanter,  and  gathering  a  quantity  of 
fragrant  pine-needles  together  to  make  a  couch 
he  sank  down  on  it,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep, 
lulled  by  the  music  of  the  wind  murmuring 
through  the  trees. 

In  the  morning,  as  the  cold  grey  dawn 
lightened  the  eastern  sky,  Fionn  woke  and  sat 
up,  wondering  where  he  was.  Sleep  had  erased 
from  his  memory  all  the  events  of  the  preced- 
ing night,  but  as  he  rose  to  his  feet  his  eyes  fell 
on  Aillen  mac  Midna,  lying  face  downwards  in 
the  long  grass  ;  then  remembrance  returned  to 


THE  ENCHANTMENT  OF  TARA  35 

him,  and  with  it  the  thought  that  he  must  hasten 
and  tell  the  king  that  henceforth  Tara  would 
never  again  be  destroyed  by  the  magician. 

He  washed  his  face  at  the  little  stream  flow- 
ing through  the  forest,  and  made  a  scanty 
breakfast  from  some  nuts  and  late  blackberries 
he  found  in  a  sheltered  hollow,  then  he  began 
to  retrace  his  way  to  Tara,  taking  the  head  of 
Aillen  in  a  satchel  as  proof  to  Conn  that  he 
was  really  dead. 

By  noon  he  had  come  within  sight  of  the 
rath  of  Tara,  and  saw  many  people  moving 
about  on  its  green  rampart.  As  he  drew 
nearer  Conn,  with  a  great  number  of  his 
warriors,  came  out  and  greeted  him  with  joy, 
asking  him  many  questions  concerning  the 
magician. 

"  He  will  trouble  you  no  more,"  said  Fionn, 
"  and  in  proof  of  that  I  have  brought  his  head 
to  Tara,"  and  drawing  the  head  by  its  long 
black  hair  out  of  the  bag,  he  placed  it  on  the 
ground  at  the  king's  feet. 

"  Indeed  throughout  Ireland  there  is  none 
to  equal  you,  son  of  Cumall,"  said  Conn,  "  and 
in  the  presence  of  all  her  kings  and  champions 


36        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

I  will  confer  the  chieftainship  of  the  Fianna  on 
you,  as  I  have  promised,  and  whatever  wish 
or  desire  you  have  I  will  fulfil  it.  I  name 
you  also  the  chief  champion  of  Ireland,  and 
wherever  you  go  honour  shall  be  given  to 
you  as  such." 

They  returned  to  the  dun,  and  Conn  gave 
orders  that  a  banquet  should  be  prepared, 
to  celebrate  Fionn's  great  feat.  When  the 
feast  was  ready  he  commanded  his  trumpeters 
to  sound  their  trumpets,  and  as  soon  as  every 
one  was  assembled  in  the  great  banqueting 
hall  of  the  dun  the  king  placed  Fionn  in  the 
seat  belonging  to  the  chief  of  Ireland's  Fianna, 
and  all  the  Fians,  even  the  deposed  chief,  Goll 
mac  Morna,  placed  their  hands  in  Fionn's,  and 
vowed  to  be  faithful  and  true  to  him  as  long 
as  they  lived. 

So,  to  the  day  of  his  death,  which  was  not 
till  many,  many  years  later,  Fionn  mac  Cumall 
remained  in  command  of  the  Fianna,  and  was 
the  greatest  and  wisest  chief  the  Fians  ever 
had. 


THE   FAERY  HARPER 

EARLY  one  April  morning  Fionn  stood  at  the 
door  of  his  dun  on  the  Hill  of  Allen,  and 
looked  over  the  sunlit  orchards  and  meadows 
stretching  far  away  before  him.  The  apple- 
trees  were  already  covered  with  a  pink  and 
white  surge  of  blossom,  and  everywhere  birds 
were  singing  joyous  songs  to  the  sun.  A 
great  gladness  rose  in  Fionn's  heart  as  he 
listened,  and  he  too  was  beginning  to  sing 
when  a  robin  flew  down  before  him,  and 
chirped  merrily  up  into  his  face. 

"What  is  the  word  you  are  saying,  little 
bird  ? "  asked  Fionn,  stretching  out  his  hand. 

The  robin  hopped  up  and  perched  fearlessly 
on  Fionn's  hand,  chirping  again.  And  Fionn, 
who,  from  the  time  he  had  touched  the  Salmon 
of  Wisdom,  had  the  power — when  he  chose  to 
exercise  it — of  understanding  the  minds  of  all 

37 


38        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

creatures,  from  the  bird  flying  in  the  air  to 
the  wild  beast  creeping  stealthily  through  the 
forest,  knew  that  the  robin  said  : 

"Follow  me,  follow  me,  over  hill  and 
through  wood,  to  a  place  where  the  Bright 
Ones  dwell." 

"  Surely  I  will,  little  red-breast,"  said  Fionn, 
stroking  its  feathers  gently  with  one  ringer. 
"  Wait  for  me  in  yonder  apple-tree." 

He  watched  the  robin  fly  to  a  branch,  then 
blew  a  call  on  his  silver  hunting-horn.  At 
the  sound  some  Fians  came  running  from  the 
dun,  but  Fionn  chose  only  Oscur,  Caeilte',  and 
two  other  Fians  to  accompany  him. 

Through  the  day  they  followed  the  robin 
southward,  and  the  sun  was  near  its  setting 
when  they  found  themselves  on  the  side  of 
Slieve  -  na  -  man,  and  there  the  robin  dis- 
appeared. 

"What  purpose  we  had  in  running  after 
that  bird  all  day  I  do  not  know,"  complained 
Caeilte.  "  Now  it  has  deserted  us,  and  we  are 
likely  to  be  not  only  houseless,  but  supperless, 
to-night." 

"  It  would  not  be  the  first  time  we  lacked 


THE  FAERY  HARPER  39 

food  and  shelter,"  Fionn  replied.  "But  do 
not  be  uneasy,  Caeilte ;  Flann  and  Conal  will 
soon  build  a  hut,  and  wild  fowl  is  plentiful 
among  the  reeds  in  the  pool  down  there.  In 
the  meantime  we  will  rest  ourselves  on  this 
pleasant  hillside." 

He  sat  down  on  the  grass,  and  Oscur  and 
Caeilte'  willingly  lay  down  a  little  distance 
away.  They  were  silent,  half  listening  to  the 
songs  the  blackbirds  and  thrushes  sang,  half 
dreaming  of  the  Ever-Living  Ones  who  dwell 
in  a  beautiful  home  in  the  heart  of  the  hills. 
Fionn  remembered  he  too  was  akin  to  them, 
for  his  mother  belonged  to  the  ancient  Tuatha 
de  Danann  race.  Then  suddenly  a  most 
sweet  and  perfect  music  sounded  through  the 
air,  and  almost  lulled  them  to  sleep.  But 
Fionn  roused  himself,  and  looked  round. 

"  Do  you  hear  that,  Caeilte  ? "  said  Fionn. 
"  Seek  the  minstrel  and  bring  him  to  me,  for 
certainly  we  have  none  who  can  play  the  harp 
like  that." 

Caeilte'  rose  to  his  feet,  and  gazed  down 
the  hill  and  up  the  hill. 

"  The  music   must  be   made  by  invisible 


40        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

hands,  O  Fionn,"  he  said.  "Now  it  sounds 
here,  and  now  it  sounds  there,  and  again  it 
encircles  us,  but  still  I  do  not  see  the  minstrel. 
Perhaps  it  is  Angus  Oge  playing  on  his  lyre 
in  the  heart  of  the  mountain,  or  some  other 
great  harper  of  the  Sidhe." 

A  little  laugh  echoed  from  behind  Fionn's 
back,  and  he  turned  sharply  round.  There, 
standing  a  short  distance  from  him,  was  a 
very  small  man,  so  small  that  he  reached  only 
half-way  to  Fionn's  knee.  He  stood  leaning 
on  his  little  harp,  which  was  almost  as  big 
as  himself,  and  smiled  up  into  Fionn's  face. 
Long  bright  yellow  hair  he  had,  and  his  eyes 
were  blue  as  a  cloudless  summer  sky. 

"Who  are  you,  little  man,"  asked  Fionn, 
"  and  where  did  you  come  from  ? " 

"  Cnu  Deireoil,  or  the  Little  Nut  of 
Melody,  is  my  name,"  he  answered,  "and 
out  of  Slieve-na-man  I  come.  From  the 
place  of  the  Sidhe  I  come  to  you  ;  a  place 
where  there  is  abundance  of  ale  and  mead  and 
food,  for  what  is  eaten  one  day  is  there  the 
next,  as  though  it  had  never  been  touched." 

"A   fair   and   wonderful   place  you   come 


THE  FAERY  HARPER  41 

from,"  said  Fionn ;  "  but  if  you  will  leave  it 
and  stay  with  me  many  precious  things  shall 
be  yours,  and  my  friendship  too,  for  well  I 
like  your  playing.  It  brings  back  to  my 
mind  many  dreams  and  thoughts  of  noble  deeds 
1  had  as  a  boy ;  dreams  and  thoughts  which 
the  hurrying  years  have  somewhat  clouded." 

"  For  the  sake  of  your  friendship  alone  I 
will  stay  with  you  to  the  end  of  your  days," 
said  Cnu  Deireoil,  placing  his  little  hand 
in  Fionn's. 

"Tell  me  now,"  said  Fionn,  "what  ancient 
harper  of  the  Deathless  Ones  instructed  you 
in  your  art,  and  whose  son  are  you  ? " 

"  I  am  the  son  of  Lu  Lam-Fada,"  said  the 
little  man.  "After  the  battle  of  Moytura, 
when  Balor  of  the  Evil  Eye  and  his  people 
were  conquered  by  the  Tuatha  de  Danann, 
Lu  played  to  his  people — a  most  marvellous 
strain  of  joy  and  beauty  and  gladness — and 
out  of  the  music  he  played  I  was  born. 
Whoever  listens  to  my  harping  too  will  have 
gladness  and  beauty  around  them,  and  no  evil 
will  come  near  them." 

Fionn  listened  to  his  words  and  wondered ; 


42        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

then  suddenly  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  for  it 
seemed  to  him  that  the  little  man  had  become 
transformed  into  a  very  beautiful  and  gigantic 
figure,  with  a  face  that  shone  like  the  sun, 
and  opalescent  colours  gleamed  round  him. 
Then  music  sounded  again  through  the  quiet 
evening  air,  and  Fionn  saw  that  Cnu  Deireoil 
was  still  before  him.  But  ever  after  that 
Fionn  believed  that  the  little  harper  was  one 
of  the  children  of  Dana,  and  that  for  some 
purpose  of  his  own  he  had  chosen  to  show 
himself  to  Fionn,  and  become  one  of  his  men. 

The  next  day  the  Fians  returned  to  their 
home  on  the  Hill  of  Allen,  and  Cnu  Deireoil 
accompanied  them.  Nor  would  Fionn  ever 
make  any  journey  afterwards  without  his 
little  harper,  and  in  stormy  weather,  or  when 
Cnu  Deireoil  grew  tired,  Fionn  would  pick 
him  up  and  carry  him  under  his  mantle ;  for 
the  chief  of  the  Fians  possessed  a  very  noble 
and  kindly  heart,  and  always  showed  a  great 
gentleness  and  courtesy  to  any  one  smaller 
and  weaker  than  himself. 

Cnu  Deireoil  was  a  great  wonder  to  the 
giant  warriors  of  Fionn,  who  had  never  seen 


THE  LITTLE  MAN  HAD  BECOME  TRANSFORMED  INTO  A  VERY 
BEAUTIFUL  AND  GIGANTIC  FIGURE 


THE  FAERY  HARPER  43 

any  one  so  small  before ;  but  when  he  played 
they  did  not  remember  his  smallness,  they 
listened  only  to  his  music,  for  such  sweet 
harping  had  never  been  heard  by  them 
hitherto.  From  every  part  of  Ireland  the 
musicians  of  the  Fianna  came  to  him  to  be 
instructed,  and  he  taught  them  gentle  faery 
melodies,  and  in  the  whole  of  Ireland  there 
were  no  minstrels,  except  those  of  the  Fianna, 
who  could  play  such  music. 

"  Little  Nut  of  Melody,"  said  Fionn  to  him 
one  day,  "you  are  far  from  your  own  people, 
and  must  often  be  very  lonely.  All  my  men 
have  wives  but  you,  and  my  wish  is  to  find  a 
fair  and  gentle  woman  for  you." 

"  I  do  not  want  any  wife  at  all,"  said  the 
little  man  hastily.  He  was  greatly  alarmed 
lest  Fionn  should  bestow  on  him  one  of  the 
big  tall  women  of  the  Fianna. 

"  I  can  tell  you  where  there  is  a  woman  of 
his  own  race  who  would  keep  loneliness  away 
from  him,"  said  one  of  the  Fians.  "  She  lives 
in  a  house  of  the  Sidhe  in  Munster,  and  her 
name  is  Blaithnait.  She  is  wise  too,  and  is  a 
revealer  of  the  future." 


44        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Fionn  was  delighted  when  he  heard  this, 
and  said  he  would  go  to  find  her  at  once.  So 
he  gathered  a  good  company  of  his  men  to- 
gether, and  travelled  straightway  to  the  home 
of  the  Sidhe  where  Blaithnait  lived.  Cnu 
Deireoil  went  with  him  also — he  did  not 
object  to  a  wife  belonging  to  his  own  people — 
for  Fionn  said  that  by  his  music  he  could 
weave  spells  round  Blaithnait,  and  bring  her 
forth.  So  one  moonlit  night,  when  everything 
was  sleeping  except  the  owls  and  bats,  Cnu 
Deireoil  sat  on  the  faery  mound  and  played  a 
melody  which  had  never  been  heard  on  earth 
before,  and  as  the  music  sounded  over  the 
mountains  and  through  the  valleys  a  hidden 
door  in  the  hillside  opened,  and  a  beautiful 
little  faery  maiden  came  forth  and  walked 
over  the  grass  to  Cnu  Deireoil.  Then  she 
and  the  little  man  went  down  to  the  tents  in 
the  valley  where  the  Fians  were  resting,  and 
until  the  end  of  Fionn's  days  they  were  both 
with  him.  When  good  was  coming  to  the 
Fianna  they  would  know  and  tell  it,  and  when 
evil  was  coming  they  would  not  conceal  it. 
But  at  the  death  of  Fionn,  Blaithnait  and  Cnu 


THE  FAERY  HARPER  45 

Deireoil  returned  to  their  own  people ;  and 
even  now,  all  these  centuries  afterwards,  if 
you  are  sitting  on  the  side  of  Slieve-na-man 
in  the  twilight,  you  will  hear  a  sweet  and 
sorrowful  strain  coming  from  the  hillside, 
where  Cnu  Deireoil  still  laments  on  his  harp 
for  the  death  of  the  most  noble  and  generous 
chief  of  the  Fianna, 


THE  CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL 


A  THICK  white  sea -mist  lay  like  a  woolly 
fleece  over  Dublin  and  had  drifted  inland  as 
far  as  Gleann-na-smol — the  Glen  of  the 
Thrushes — and  Fionn,  glancing  outside  the 
door  of  his  hunting-cabin,  thought  regretfully 
of  the  plan  he  had  formed  overnight  for  a 
deer -hunt,  and  how  little  prospect  there 
seemed  of  its  fulfilment  this  morning,  when 
objects  only  a  few  yards  distant  were  com- 
pletely hidden  by  the  mist.  Still,  he  re- 
membered many  a  good  day  that  had  begun 
with  a  misty  morning,  and  calling  Oisin,  he 
told  him  to  waken  the  rest  of  the  hunting- 
party  and  leash  the  hounds,  he  himself  taking 
his  two  favourite  hounds,  Bran  and  Sgeolan. 

They   climbed   the    hill    above    the  glen, 
stumbling  over  the  rough,  narrow  paths  made 

46 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL    47 

by  mountain  cattle ;  for,  between  the  darkness 
of  the  early  autumn  morning  and  the  fog  they 
could  not  see  plainly  where  they  were  going. 
Then,  as  the  mist  lifted  a  little,  Fionn  bade 
them  unleash  the  hounds,  and  soon  the  Fians 
knew,  by  the  excited  yelping  and  barking  of 
their  dogs,  that  they  had  started  something 
from  its  lair  in  the  tall  bracken  and  hazel- 
bushes  growing  near. 

Soon  a  curiously  marked  deer,  with  one 
side  all  white,  and  the  other  all  black,  flashed 
by  them,  and  the  Fians  followed  on  its  track. 
For  many  hours  they  continued  the  chase, 
but  even  Bran,  the  swiftest  of  all  the  Fians' 
hounds,  could  not  overtake  the  deer,  and 
when  the  darkness  of  night  came  on  the  Fians 
lost  all  trace  of  their  dogs  and  the  hunted 
animal,  nor  did  they  quite  know  in  what  part 
of  the  country  they  were. 

They  were  very  perplexed,  not  knowing 
which  way  to  go  in  order  to  find  their  hounds, 
and  Conan  mac  Morna,  who  was  very  cross, 
began  to  abuse  Fionn. 

"  It  would  have  been  better  for  me  to  have 
stopped  in  my  bed  this  day,"  said  Conan, 


48         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"instead  of  trailing  through  the  country  at 
your  heels,  who  haven't  as  much  sense  as 
would  enable  you  to  keep  your  dogs  with  you. 
Although  people  talk  of  your  wisdom  and 
foreknowledge,  it's  little  enough  I  see  of  it,  and 
I  think  I've  twice  as  much  myself.  Indeed  I 
think,  too,  that  I  should  make  a  much  better 
chief  of  the  Fianna  than  you  do,  and  it  is  a 
perpetual  wonder  to  me  that  the  Fians  do  not 
depose  you,  and  elect  me  in  your  place." 

Fionn  and  all  his  party  were  tired  and 
hungry,  but  they  shouted  with  laughter  at 
Conan.  He  was  regarded  as  the  jester  of  the 
Fianna  Eireann,  and  no  matter  how  rude  and 
scoffing  his  speeches  were,  no  one  heeded  them. 
Then,  as  there  was  still  no  sign  of  the  dogs 
returning,  Oisin  said  to  Fionn  : 

"  Can  you  not  divine  for  us,  father,  where 
they  have  gone  or  what  has  happened  to  them  ? " 

Fionn  placed  his  thumb  of  knowledge  to 
his  mouth,  and  after  a  short  time  answered  : 

"  Alas,  of  all  our  brave  and  sweet-tongued 
dogs  who  followed  the  deer  only  Bran  will 
return  to  us  ! " 

The  Fians  were  in  deep  and  silent  despair 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL    49 

when  they  heard  Fionn  speak  with  such  cer- 
tainty. The  loss  of  their  hounds  would  be  a 
great  calamity,  for  they  had  brought  with  them 
only  the  best  trained  and  the  swiftest.  Even 
Conan  was  silent,  then  he  burst  out : 

"  Never  yet,  O  Fionn,  have  I  been  out  with 
you  that  you  did  not  get  me  into  some  trouble 
or  scrape.  Now,  following  after  that  animal 
which  hasn't  its  like  in  any  country  under  the 
sun,  my  best  hounds  are  gone,  and  I  swear  I 
will  give  you  neither  rest  nor  peace  until  you 
have  found  me  two  equally  good." 

As  he  finished  speaking  Fionn  heard  a  dis- 
tant, piteous  cry,  and  soon  after  Bran  appeared, 
tired  and  wet,  and  covered  with  bog-mire  from 
head  to  tail.  She  lay  down  before  Fionn,  and 
howled  long  and  sorrowfully. 

"  I  think,"  said  Fionn,  "  she  has  a  know- 
ledge of  some  unknown  danger  which  threatens 
us." 

"  And  what  worse  can  happen  to  us  than 
the  loss  of  our  swift  and  gentle  hounds  ? " 
asked  Diarmuid.  "  I  would  rather  have  been 
covered  with  wounds  in  battle  than  have  this 

thing  happen." 

E 


50        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

There  was  a  little  rustling  in  the  bracken 
near  them,  arid  Bran,  tired  as  she  was,  pricked 
up  her  ears  to  listen.  Then,  in  the  misty  moon- 
light, a  beautiful  woman,  with  long  fair  hail- 
flowing  down  to  the  hem  of  her  dress,  stood 
before  them.  They  were  astonished  at  her 
sudden  appearance,  but  before  Fionn  could 
speak  to  her  she  said,  looking  at  him  : 

"  Surely  you  are  Fionn,  lord  of  the  Fianna. 
If  so,  there  is  a  woman  not  far  from  here  who 
wishes  to  meet  you,  and  has  already  prepared 
a  great  feast  in  your  honour." 

"  That  is  good  news,"  said  Conan  hurriedly, 
before  Fionn  could  speak.  "  I  should  like  to 
be  with  her  now." 

The  woman  smiled,  and  courteously  in- 
cluded Fionn's  companions  in  the  invitation. 
Then  she  led  the  way  to  a  house  built  on  the 
summit  of  a  little  hill  overlooking  an  inlet  of 
the  sea,  and  the  Fians  followed  her  into  the 
house.  When  supper  was  ended  Fionn  said 
to  the  woman  who  had  conducted  them  hither  : 

"  Where  is  the  woman  who  wishes  to  meet 
me  ?  I  should  like  to  thank  her  for  her 
hospitality." 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL    51 

Just  then  a  woman  entered  the  room. 
Fionn  thought  she  was  the  ugliest  woman  the 
world  had  ever  seen,  for  one  side  of  her  face 
was  white,  and  one  black,  and  her  hair  was 
like  red  fire-flames  waving  round  her  head. 
She  reminded  him  vaguely  of  the  curious 
black  and  white  animal  they  had  chased  so 
unsuccessfully  that  day. 

"  I  give  you  greeting,"  she  said  to  Fionn, 
"  your  name  is  well  known  to  me  as  that  of 
the  greatest  hero  in  Ireland  ;  for  that  reason 
I  sent  for  you  to  say  that  if  your  appearance 
pleased  me  I  would  take  you  for  my  husband, 
and  all  the  treasure  I  have  shall  be  yours." 

"  Not  all  the  treasure  in  the  world  would 
induce  me  to  take  you  for  my  wife,"  said 
Fionn  quickly,  horrified  at  the  proposal,  and 
startled  out  of  his  usual  kindliness  of  speech. 
"  I  cannot  help  thinking  you  have  some  rela- 
tionship with  that  strange  animal  we  hunted 
to-day,  and  through  which  we  have  lost  our 
precious  hounds.  Tell  me  what  became  of 
them  ? " 

"  Dead ;  they  are  all  dead,"  she  cried,  and 
her  face  gleamed  with  a  mad  delight  as  she 


52         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

spoke.  "Many  brave  heroes  have  fallen  by 
my  hand  too,  and  if  you  oppose  my  wishes 
not  all  your  courage  and  strength  will  hinder 
me  from  destroying  you  and  your  Fians." 

Fionn  and  his  heroes  laughed  scornfully ; 
they  were  amused  that  this  magpie-coloured 
woman  should  imagine  she  could  so  easily 
overcome  them,  whom  so  many  famous 
champions  had  failed  to  conquer. 

"  You  laugh  now,  "  she  said  in  a  quiet  voice  ; 
"  I  think  in  a  little  while  you  will  laugh  no 
more.  But  before  you  sleep  for  ever  I  will 
play  and  sing  to  you  if  you  like." 

She  took  a  small  harp  and  played,  and  the 
music  was  like  the  rippling  of  a  rock -strewn 
mountain  stream,  or  the  murmur  of  the  night- 
wind  when  it  plays  through  tall  pines  in 
summer.  Then  she  chanted  a  little  song  to 
them  in  an  unknown  tongue,  and  a  strange 
helplessness  relaxed  their  limbs ;  although 
they  felt  that  some  great  disaster  was  about 
to  overtake  them  they  had  no  strength  to 
avert  it. 

When  the  woman  saw  that  her  spells  had 
conquered  the  Fians,  she  fetched  a  two-edged 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL    53 

sword  and  began  to  slay  the  warriors  as 
quickly  as  she  could,  taunting  them  with  their 
lethargy.  Fionn  could  not  witness  this 
horrible  deed  in  silence ;  he  reproached  him- 
self bitterly  for  having  taken  them  to  that 
house,  and  implored  the  witch  to  listen  to  him. 

"  Spare  my  men,"  he  said,  "  but  kill  me  if 
you  choose,  for  I  alone  have  refused  to  accede 
to  your  wishes." 

The  woman  would  not  listen  to  him,  but 
continued  her  deadly  work  until  only  a  few 
of  the  Fians  were  left.  Then  Fionn  spoke 
again : 

"  How  can  I  take  you  for  my  wife,  when 
the  daughter  of  Goll  mac  Morna  has  shared 
my  house  for  years  ?  If  I  put  her  away  Goll 
will  surely  kill  me,  and  that  would  be  no 
benefit  to  you." 

The  witch  considered  for  a  moment,  then 
she  said  cheerfully : 

"  I  will  go  and  kill  Goll.  In  the  meantime 
I  will  restore  to  you  and  your  men  freedom  to 
move  about ;  but  do  not  think  to  escape,  for  I 
have  placed  a  spell  upon  you  that  holds  you 
to  this  place." 


54        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

II 

IT  was  early  morning,  and  Goll  mac  Morna 
stood  at  the  doorway  of  his  house  at  Ben 
Edar — the  place  we  now  call  the  Hill  of 
Howth — and  looked  over  the  sea.  He  was 
surprised  to  see  a  number  of  ships  in  the 
harbour,  for  overnight  there  had  been  none. 

"  It  is  unlucky  so  many  of  the  Fianna  are 
away  at  the  present  time,"  he  said  to  Caeilte, 
"  for  1  think  these  ships  do  not  belong  to  any 
friends  of  ours.  Will  you  send  some  one  to 
discover  whether  they  come  in  peace  or  in 
war  ? " 

"I'll  go  myself,"  said  Caeiltd  at  once,  and 
taking  a  curragh  rowed  out  to  the  ships. 

When  he  saw  the  ugly  black  and  white 
woman,  with  a  fierce  red  light  shining  in  her 
eyes,  a  feeling  of  horror  came  upon  him, 
though  he  spoke  courteously  to  her. 

"  Goll  mac  Morna  sends  you  greetings,  and 
wishes  to  know  what  purpose  has  brought  you 
hither,  and  whether  he  can  render  you  any 
service,"  he  said. 

"  Go  back  and  tell  Goll  I  have  come  to  kill 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL   55 

him  and  all  his  Fians,  as  I  have  killed  those 
with  Fionn,"  said  the  woman,  and  she  glared 
at  Caeilt£  so  venomously,  and  looked  so  dread- 
ful, that  he  slipped  down  the  side  of  the  ship 
into  his  boat  and  hurried  away. 

"And  indeed,"  said  Caeilte',  after  telling 
Goll  what  the  woman  had  threatened,  "  never 
before  have  I  fled  from  anyone,  and  for  shame 
I  cannot  hold  up  my  head  again  among  the 
men  of  Ireland  until  I  have  put  an  end  to  that 
woman." 

Then  Caeilte  and  Goll,  remembering  what 
the  woman  had  said  about  killing  their  com- 
rades, grieved  together,  for  they  thought  that 
never  again  would  they  see  their  noble  and 
generous  chief  Fionn.  The  Fians  crowded 
around  them,  and,  hearing  the  cause  of  their 
grief,  vowed  they  would  exact  a  vengeance 
that  should  not  be  easily  forgotten. 

The  morning  hours  had  almost  passed  when 
the  watchmen  called  out  that  a  great  number 
of  armed  men,  with  the  red-haired  woman 
leading  them,  were  putting  off  from  the  ship 
in  boats.  Goll  ordered  Caeilte'  to  take  his 
Fians  to  the  strand  and  prevent  the  enemy 


56         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

from  landing  ;  but  though  Caeilte'  and  his  men 
fought  most  valiantly  they  were  overpowered 
by  the  strangers,  and  a  great  number  of  the 
Fians  were  killed. 

When  Goll  saw  how  the  battle  was  going 
against  them,  he  said  to  the  woman  : 

"  Let  there  be  peace  between  us  this  night, 
and  in  the  morning,  though  few  of  us  remain, 
we  will  fight  again." 

"  I  will  let  the  remnant  of  your  Fians  go 
free,  Goll  mac  Morna,"  answered  the  woman, 
"  if  you  will  agree  to  meet  me  in  single  combat. 
If  you  will  not,  I  will  carry  on  the  fight  until 
you  are  all  dead." 

Goll  arranged  to  meet  her,  and  the  only 
condition  the  combatants  made  was  that  the 
fight  must  be  carried  on  until  one  or  the 
other  was  killed ;  and  though  Caeilte  and 
the  warriors  tried  to  dissuade  him  from  doing 
so,  the  next  morning  he  armed  himself  and 
went  down  to  the  strand.  The  whole  of  that 
day  he  and  the  woman  fought  together, 
neither  gaining  the  victory,  and  for  two  suc- 
ceeding days  they  met  again,  striking  many 
hard  blows  ;  but  on  the  eve  of  the  third  day, 


THE  WHOLE  DAY  HE  AND  THE  WOMAN  FOUGHT  TOGETHER 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL   57 

when  Goll  lay  down  to  sleep,  he  was  so 
covered  with  wounds  that  he  feared  he  would 
be  easily  conquered  on  the  morrow. 

But  help  was  nearer  to  him  than  he 
imagined ;  even  then  Fionn  and  his  comrades 
were  hurrying  to  his  aid  from  the  place  where 
the  woman  of  the  spells  thought  they  were 
still  in  safe  keeping.  And  this  is  how  the 
spell  that  bound  them  was  broken. 

Among  the  men  guarding  the  Fians  was 
one  who  had  a  beautiful  daughter,  called 
Ethne,  and  often  at  night  she  would  sit  near 
the  Fians  and  listen  as  they  spoke  of  past  wars 
and  adventures.  She  seemed  so  gentle  and 
sweet,  so  unlike  the  witch  and  her  companions, 
that  each  time  Diarmuid  O'Duibhne  saw  her 
he  loved  her  more  deeply ;  and  one  evening, 
as  they  were  pacing  up  and  down  the  sands, 
he  said : 

"  Were  I  free  from  these  evil  bonds,  Ethne, 
I  would  ask  you  to  leave  your  people,  and 
come  to  my  home  with  me,  for  I  love  you, 
and  had  I  the  choice  of  all  the  women  in  the 
world  it  is  you  I  would  choose  for  my  wife. 
But,  much  as  I  and  my  companions  try,  we 


58        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

cannot  break  the  spell  that  binds  us  to  this 
place." 

"  How  can  I  be  sure  that  you  love  me  ? " 
asked  Ethne  doubtfully.  "Do  you  forget  that 
I  am  one  of  your  enemy's  companions  ? " 

"  I  swear  by  the  sun  and  the  wind," 
answered  Diarmuid,  "  that  I  have  spoken  the 
truth.  Tell  me  that  you  will  accompany  me 
when  I  leave  this  place." 

Then  Ethne  knew  that  he  did  indeed  love 
her ;  for  he  had  called  on  two  eternal  powers  to 
witness  his  vow,  and  did  he  break  that  vow  the 
powers  of  the  sun  and  wind  would  punish  him. 

"  I  have  given  you  my  love,  and  wherever 
you  choose  to  take  me  1  will  go,"  said  Ethne 
softly.  "  This  night  you  shall  all  be  free,  for, 
unknown  to  the  enchantress,  I  have  a  word  of 
might  which  will  release  your  bonds." 

All  the  people  in  the  camp  slept  except 
the  Fians,  for  Diarmuid  had  whispered  to  them 
that  before  dawn  they  would  be  free.  At 
midnight  Ethne  came,  dressed  ready  for  the 
journey,  and  standing  over  the  Fians  lifted 
her  hands  above  their  heads,  and  chanted  in 
a  curiously  even  tone  these  words : 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL   59 

By  the  light  of  suns  afar 
And  the  guiding,  distant  star ; 
By  the  mystic  new-born  moon 
And  the  lilt  of  magic  rune. 
You  are  freed  from  the  ill  spell. 

Take  your  swords  and  let  us  go, 
From  this  place  of  death  and  woe ; 
Leave  this  shadowy  land  behind 
And  the  words  that  hold  and  bind : 
Now  my  bidding  breaks  the  spell. 

The  Fians  rose,  and  with  great  gladness 
found  that  their  strength  had  returned  to 
them.  They  surrounded  Ethne,  and  with 
deep  gratitude  thanked  her  for  the  service 
she  had  rendered  them.  Then,  taking  swords 
and  shields  in  hand,  they  were  preparing  to 
leave  that  house  of  ill-omen,  when,  to  the 
unutterable  horror  of  Fionn  and  the  other 
men,  and  before  they  could  prevent  him, 
Conan  mac  Morna  suddenly  raised  his  sword 
and  with  one  blow  severed  beautiful  Ethne's 
head  from  her  body. 

For  a  moment  the  Fians  stood  aghast. 
They  knew  Conan  to  be  a  boaster  and  some- 
times they  had  even  thought  him  lacking  in 
courage,  but  they  never  deemed  him  capable 


60        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

of  such  an  ungenerous  and  horrible  deed  as 
this.  The  next  moment  Diarmuid  lifted  his 
sword,  and  cried : 

"Had  you  a  hundred  heads,  nay,  a 
thousand,  I  would  hew  them  all  from  your 
cowardly  body  in  revenge  for  this  ever-hateful 
deed." 

As  Diarmuid  spoke  Conan  knew  what  fear 
was.  He  thought  the  next  breath  he  drew 
would  be  his  last,  and  it  would  have  been  had 
not  Oscur  stepped  between  them. 

"Let  us  not  linger  here,"  said  Oscur. 
"Every  minute  is  precious,  for  I  am  sure 
that  Goll  is  hard  pressed  by  the  witch  who 
went  to  attack  him.  As  for  this  coward," 
and  he  pointed  at  Conan,  "he  shall  be  dealt 
with  later,  and  through  the  whole  of  the  land 
his  name  shall  be  a  name  of  scorn  for  ever 
after;  but  now  the  welfare  of  the  Fianna 
must  precede  all  personal  affairs." 

Very  reluctantly  Diarmuid  let  the  matter 
rest  there,  and  they  proceeded  on  their 
journey.  Through  the  hours  of  the  night 
they  travelled  quickly  eastward,  and  at  last 
reached  Ben  Edar.  They  found  Goll  arming 


CHASE  OF  GLEANN-NA-SMOL    61 

himself  for  the  fourth  day's  fight,  and  so  weak 
from  his  many  wounds  that  he  could  hardly 
stand. 

Fionn  and  his  companions  clamoured  to 
stand  before  the  witch  and  fight  her  both  on 
their  own  account  and  Coil's.  But  Goll 
refused,  and  only  when  Fionn  used  his 
authority  and  forbade  him  to  go  out  that 
day — saying  he  did  not  want  to  altogether 
lose  his  best  captain — did  Goll  relent,  and 
unwillingly  agreed  that  Oscur  should  take  his 
place. 

The  witch  stared  in  amazement  when  she 
saw  that  those  whom  she  still  believed  to  be 
spell -bound  were  arrayed  against  her ;  but  a 
furious  anger  possessed  her  when  she  realized 
they  had  escaped  from  her  power.  With  all 
her  strength  she  attacked  Oscur,  and  until  the 
day  was  drawing  to  its  close  they  fought 
together,  when  Oscur  began  to  show  signs  of 
weakness  because  of  the  hurts  he  had  received. 
Seeing  this,  Fergus,  the  bard  of  the  Fianna, 
called  out  to  him  : 

"  O  Oscur,  son  of  Oisin,  you  who  have 
never  before  been  conquered,  let  it  not  be 


62        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

said  that  an  evil  enchantress  vanquished  you. 
Remember,  Oscur,  that  hour  when  we  lay 
fettered  by  evil  bonds  in  the  Bay  of  Inch,  and 
forget  not  the  death  of  thy  comrades." 

The  bard's  words  strengthened  Oscur's 
failing  arm,  and  with  a  swift  leap  forward 
he  struck  the  witch  with  his  spear.  She 
wavered  on  her  feet  for  a  minute,  then  with 
a  great  cry  fell  forward  on  the  sand  and  died. 

So  ends  Fionn's  adventure  and  enchant- 
ment when  following  the  chase  at  Gleann- 
na-smol. 


SCATHACH  OF  THE  SHADOWS 

ONE  day,  when  the  heat  of  summer  lay  like  a 
golden  shimmering  mist  over  the  land,  Fionn, 
with  a  few  Fians,  slowly  mounted  the  slopes 
of  Bearnas  Mor,  and  when  they  reached  the 
top  sat  down  to  rest  in  the  shade  of  a  big  rock, 
while  their  hounds  ranged  over  the  hillside 
as  they  chose.  They  had  left  the  Hill  of 
Allen  a  few  days  before,  thinking  how  much 
pleasanter  the  sea  and  mountains  of  Donegal 
would  be  than  the  sun-baked  bog-country  of 
the  midlands. 

They  had  been  resting  only  a  short  time 
when  they  heard  a  furious  barking  from  the 
hounds,  mingled  with  the  shrill  squeals  of 
some  animal.  The  Fians  rose  and  looked 
round  them,  then  saw  that  the  hounds  had 
started  from  its  lair  an  immense  wild  boar, 
which,  instead  of  running  from  the  dogs, 


64         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

turned  round  and  attacked  them.  The  Fians 
cheered  their  hounds  on,  thinking  they  would 
soon  conquer  the  boar,  but,  to  their  grief  and 
anger,  it  killed  one  after  another  of  the  hounds, 
until  there  was  left  only  Bran,  the  wise  and 
beautiful  hound  that  was  Fionn's  joy  and 
delight,  and  one  of  the  greatest  treasures  he 
ever  possessed. 

Bran  circled  round  and  round  the  boar, 
waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  spring  on  it.  At 
last  she  made  a  leap,  and  fastened  her  teeth  in 
the  boar's  shoulder,  and  though  the  boar  shook 
himself  and  ran  to  and  fro,  he  could  not  free 
himself  from  Bran.  Then  he  screamed  horribly 
with  rage  and  pain,  and  at  that  moment  a 
man,  grotesquely  ugly  and  gigantic,  appeared 
suddenly  on  the  hillside.  Where  he  came 
from  the  Fians  did  not  know,  and  they  looked 
at  him  in  astonishment. 

"Call  your  hound  from  my  boar  at  once, 
Fionn,"  he  said,  "  or  I  will  kill  her." 

Hearing  him  speak  like  that  the  Fians  grew 
very  angry.  A  number  of  their  best  dogs  had 
been  slain  by  this  fierce  boar ;  now  the  strange 
man  spoke  of  killing  Bran,  who  was  the  very 


SCATHACH  OF  THE  SHADOWS  65 

best  hound  the  Fians  ever  had,  or  ever  would 
have.  So  they  rushed  at  the  man,  intending 
to  capture  him  ;  afterwards  they  would  kill 
his  wild  beast,  and  cook  it  for  their  supper. 
But  no  sooner  did  the  Fians  lay  their  hands 
upon  him  than  all  the  strength  ebbed  from 
their  bodies.  They  could  neither  speak  nor 
move.  Fionn  alone,  who  had  not  touched 
hiin,  was  free  from  the  enchantment.  The 
man  spoke  again : 

"  Call  off  your  hound,  Fionn.  Do  you  not 
see  she  has  conquered  the  boar,  and  it  has  not 
strength  to  escape  ?  " 

Fiorin  called  Bran  to  him,  and  the  man 
walked  over  to  where  the  boar  lay  panting  on 
the  ground.  He  struck  it  lightly  with  a  hazel 
wand,  and  to  the  wonder  of  the  Fians  the 
fierce,  ungainly  beast  changed  instantly  into  a 
beautiful  girl.  He  then  touched  himself,  and 
from  an  ugly  giant  he  became  a  tall,  handsome 
man. 

On  seeing  this  Fionn  drew  back  a  step  or 
two.  He  thought  that  perhaps  the  man  might 
touch  him  with  his  magic  stick,  and  he  had 

no  mind  to  be  transformed  into  a  pig,  or  a  fly, 

F 


66 

or  whatever  else  the  enchanter  might  choose 
to  make  him.  The  man  seemed  to  know  what 
Fionn  was  thinking,  and  laughed  as  he  said  : 

"  I  shall  do  you  no  harm.  On  the  con- 
trary, if  I  can  serve  you  at  any  time  I  will 
gladly  do  so,  in  return  for  the  service  you  have 
unknowingly  rendered  me." 

"  Indeed,  then,"  said  Fionn, "  it  would  please 
me  if  you  would  take  that  enchantment  from 
my  men.  They  are  of  no  use  to  me  as  they 
are.  Afterwards,  perhaps,  you  will  tell  me 
who  you  and  that  young  girl  are,  and  why  you 
appeared  in  forms  not  your  own." 

He  glanced  at  his  men,  and  laughed  out 
loud  as  he  saw  them  standing  stiffly  there, 
unable  to  put  one  foot  before  the  other  or  even 
raise  a  ringer.  The  enchanter  laughed  also, 
then  he  waved  his  hand  upward,  and  power 
returned  to  the  Fians. 

"  Now,"  said  the  man  to  Fionn,  "  it  will 
give  me  much  pleasure  if  you  and  your  com- 
rades will  take  supper  with  me ;  afterwards  I 
will  relate  to  you  our  story.  It  will  not  take 
us  long  to  reach  my  dun,  which  is  just  on  the 
other  side  of  the  hill." 


THE  BEAST  CHANGED  INSTANTLY  INTO  A  BEAUTIFUL  GIRL 


SCATHACH  OF  THE  SHADOWS  67 

Fionn  and  his  men  walked  over  the  hill  with 
the  strangers,  and  soon  they  came  to  a  house 
which  the  Fians  thought  even  more  beautiful 
than  the  kingly  dun  at  Tara.  The  roof  and 
door-posts  were  fashioned  of  silver,  and  glittered 
in  the  sunset ;  the  door  was  made  of  bronze, 
inset  with  crystals  and  amethysts.  But  the 
interior  was  still  more  beautiful,  the  walls  were 
hung  with  silks  of  many  colours,  and  couches 
of  carved  red  yew  and  gold  were  placed  on 
every  side.  In  the  middle  of  the  dun  a 
glimmering  pool  of  water  shone  like  silver  in 
the  dusk  ;  not  a  ripple  disturbed  its  quietness, 
and  as  the  Fians  looked  they  imagined  that 
pictures  came  and  went  in  it.  Before  they  had 
time  to  observe  more  their  host  struck  a  bronze 
gong,  and  men  came  in  bearing  great  bowls 
of  ale,  and  dishes  of  meat  and  fruit. 

When  supper  was  ended  Fionn  said : 

"  Perhaps  you  will  tell  us  your  story  now, 
for  with  the  rising  of  the  moon  we  must  go  on 
our  way." 

"  I  am  a  son  of  Bove  Derg,  king  of  the 
southern  Sidhe,"  began  the  man,  "  and  the 
maiden  here  is  my  daughter,  Scathach  of  the 


68        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Shadows.  When  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  first 
became  invisible  to  men,  the  Dagda  gave  me 
this  pleasant  hillside  to  dwell  in,  and  many 
years  we  lived  here  in  peace.  But  one  day 
when  I  was  away  from  home,  there  came  a 
giant  Fomorian  from  the  Island  of  Torach, 
who  seized  my  daughter,  and  would  have 
carried  her  away  with  him  to  his  island  of 
rocks.  When  I  returned  I  sought  for  her, 
but  could  find  her  nowhere.  I  looked  then  in 
the  quiet  pool  of  water  there,  which  holds 
pictures  of  all  that  has  been  or  will  be,  and 
saw  what  had  happened.  Quickly  I  followed 
in  their  footsteps,  and  on  the  seashore  came 
up  to  them.  Before  the  Fomorian  could  speak 
a  word  I  cast  my  spear,  which  passed  through 
him  from  one  side  to  the  other ;  but  as  he  fell 
to  the  ground  he  placed  a  spell  on  my  daughter, 
and  she  changed  instantly  to  the  fierce  boar 
your  dogs  hunted.  Not  for  myself  would  I 
ask  a  favour  from  an  enemy,  but  for  the  sake 
of  my  beautiful  daughter  I  implored  him  to 
remove  the  spell  from  her  before  he  died. 
Though  he  lay  dying  on  the  ground  he  laughed 
at  me,  and  said  that  he  had  doomed  her  to 


SCATHACH  OF  THE  SHADOWS  69 

roam  the  earth  in  that  shape  for  hundreds  of 
years,  until  she  was  conquered  by  an  enchanted 
hound.  Many,  many  times  she  has  been 
hunted,  and  a  great  number  of  hounds  she  has 
killed,  but  never  until  to-day  was  she  con- 
quered." He  paused  for  a  moment,  then 
continued :  "  Whatever  you  ask  of  me,  O 
Fionn,  that  I  will  do,  for  you  have  been  the 
means  by  which  the  wicked  spell  is  taken  from 
my  daughter." 

"  It  is  a  grief  to  me  that  I  did  not  meet 
that  Fomorian,"  said  Fionn,  and  his  blue  eyes 
gleamed  with  the  battle-light.  "It  would 
have  pleased  me  greatly  to  kill  him  myself. 
Now  I  see  the  moonbeams  shining  over  the 
bog  below,  and  before  I  leave  you  I  would  ask 
one  other  question.  Why  do  you  call  your 
daughter  '  Scathach  of  the  Shadows '  ?  " 

"  Through  her  men  see  the  shadows  of 
many  things,"  said  the  son  of  Derg.  "  If  you 
will  stay  with  us  a  little  longer  she  shall  play 
to  you,  and  you  will  understand." 

Scathach  took  her  harp,  which  had  a 
golden  frame  carved  with  birds  and  beasts  and 
serpents,  that  moved  as  she  played.  Only 


70        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

three  strings  were  on  that  harp,  one  of  silver, 
one  of  bronze,  and  one  of  iron,  but  in  the 
music  of  those  strings  all  the  peace  and  joy 
and  sorrow  of  the  world  seemed  to  lie.  She 
played  on  the  thin  iron  string,  and  tears  came 
into  the  Fians'  eyes  ;  they  felt  that  sorrow 
and  pain  and  unnumbered  shadows  of  woe 
pressed  round  them  on  every  side,  till  at  last 
Fionn  cried :  "  Oh,  Scathach,  cease,  or  our 
hearts  will  break  with  grief." 

She  played  then  on  the  fine  bronze  wire,  and 
in  a  moment  the  Fians  were  filled  with  joy. 
Beautiful  shadowy  forms  danced  round  them 
and  sang  glad  songs,  the  laughter  of  little 
children  and  grey  old  people  echoed  in  their 
ears,  and  in  all  the  world  there  was  no  grief 
or  pain.  Then,  out  of  boundless  joy,  Fionn 
implored  Scathach  to  stop,  for  he  said  such 
gladness  mortals  could  not  bear. 

Now  Scathach  touched  the  silver  wire,  and 
a  gentle  melody  floated  over  the  moonlit  hills 
and  bogland.  So  soft,  so  gentle  it  was,  that 
the  Fians  felt  neither  sorrow  nor  joy,  only  an 
infinite  peace  wrapped  them  round.  Forms 
of  the  ancient  gods  appeared  to  them  then  : 


SCATHACH  OF  THE  SHADOWS  71 

Manannan  mac  Lir,  the  friend  of  ocean - 
wanderers ;  Angus  Oge,  guardian  of  little 
children  and  lord  of  all  that  is  beautiful ;  Lu 
Lam-Fada,  knower  of  all  knowledge  ;  the  Mor 
Riga,  divine  mother  of  wisdom  and  unfolder 
of  mysteries, — these  and  many  others  of  the 
undying  gods  came  in  that  hour  of  peace. 
Still  Scathach  played,  until  a  deep  slumber 
fell  on  the  heroes,  and  they  knew  no  more. 

A  fair  and  sun-bright  morning  dawned 
over  the  high  hills  of  Donegal,  and  Fionn  and 
his  men  woke  from  their  sleep  to  find  them- 
selves lying  on  the  side  of  Bearnas  Mor. 
There  was  no  trace  of  the  house,  or  of  Mac 
Derg  and  his  daughter  Scathach,  nor  do  1  think 
Fionn  ever  saw  them  again,  though  the  memory 
of  that  night,  when  he  had  known  unbounded 
sorrow  and  joy  and  peace,  remained  with  him 
ever  after. 


THE   LAKE   OF  SORROW 

FOR  three  days  Fionn  had  held  a  big  feast 
at  the  Hill  of  Allen,  but  now  the  last  of  his 
guests  had  departed ;  and  on  this  hot  June 
night,  as  he  lay  on  the  cool  grass  under  the 
wide-spreading  chestnut  tree,  he  thought  how 
good  and  sweet  the  earth  was  after  the  heat 
and  gaiety  of  the  day.  In  quiet  content- 
ment he  stretched  his  arms  out  over  the  grass, 
and  turned  his  face  upwards,  so  that  he  could 
see,  through  the  trembling  leaves  above  him, 
occasional  glimpses  of  a  brilliant  moon  circling 
through  the  heavens ;  and  could  feel,  as  the 
little  breezes  swept  through  the  trees,  the 
fading  chestnut  blooms  fall  softly  on  his  face. 
His  famous  hound,  Bran,  lay  by  his  side, 
but  suddenly  she  lifted  her  head  slightly  from 
her  paws,  and  growled.  Fionn  lazily  raised 
himself  on  one  elbow,  and  looked  round ;  but 

72 


THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW         73 

seeing  nothing,  resumed  his  former  position. 
After  a  minute  Bran  growled  again,  a  low, 
vicious  growl,  which  caused  Fionn  to  sit  up- 
right, for  he  knew  she  would  not  growl  in 
such  a  manner  unless  some  one  or  something 
strange  was  near.  Then,  where  the  moon- 
beams made  a  pathway  on  the  grass,  Fionn 
saw  coming  towards  him  two  fair  young  girls, 
their  dresses  shimmering  like  rainbow  mist  in 
the  silver  moonlight,  and  as  they  came  nearer 
he  rose  to  receive  and  welcome  them.  They 
were  strange  to  him,  and  he  thought  they  had 
either  wandered  from  their  road,  or  were  look- 
ing for  some  of  his  people. 

"  Are  you  seeking  some  one,  fair  maidens  ? " 
he  inquired,  after  greeting  them.  "  If  it  is 
any  of  the  women  of  my  household,  I  will 
have  them  roused ;  for,  the  hour  being  late, 
they  have  retired." 

"  It  is  not  your  women  we  seek,  but  you, 
Fionn,"  said  one  of  them,  a  fair-haired,  blue- 
eyed  girl,  who  appeared  to  be  the  elder  of 
the  two,  "  and  we  have  travelled  a  long  way 
to  find  you." 

"  In  what  way  can   I  serve  you  ? "   asked 


74        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Fionn.  "Is  there  any  injustice  you  wish 
me  to  set  right,  or  have  you  a  wrong  to  be 
avenged  ? " 

"  For  neither  of  these  things  have  we  sought 
you,"  answered  the  girl  who  had  spoken  before. 
"  In  our  distant  home  we  heard  that  in  every- 
thing you  were  the  best  of  all  men  in  Ireland, 
and  leaving  our  kinsfolk  we  have  come  to 
offer  you  our  love."  Then,  turning  to  the 
girl  at  her  side,  who  had  brown  hair,  and  eyes, 
Fionn  thought,  like  the  gentle  and  faithful 
eyes  of  Bran,  she  continued :  "  This  is  my 
sister  Aina,  and  I  am  Miluchra,  both  of  us 
daughters  to  Cuillean  of  Cooalney,  who  is  a 
prince  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann.  Choose 
now  whether  you  will  accept  the  love  of 
myself  or  my  sister." 

Fionn  was  naturally  embarrassed.  He  did 
not  particularly  want  a  wife  just  then ;  but 
if  he  had  to  choose  he  preferred  Aina,  the 
brown -haired,  quiet  girl  who  had  not  yet 
spoken  to  him.  Miluchra,  he  thought,  had 
a  tongue  which  moved  a  trifle  too  readily, 
and  he  did  not  care  for  women  who  were 
always  talking.  He  hesitated,  wondering  how 


THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW         75 

he  could  frame  his  refusal  in  words  least  dis- 
courteous. At  length  he  said : 

"  It  is  not  customary  for  we  of  the  Fianna 
to  take  women  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  for 
wives,  nor  do  I  think  you  would  be  happy 
separated  from  your  kinsfolk.  When  I  wed 
it  must  be  among  my  own  people." 

"  Think  again,  Fionn,  before  you  reject  our 
love,"  said  Miluchra ;  "  and  remember  it  is 
better  for  you  to  have  the  friendship  of  the 
Sidhe  than  their  enmity.  I  can  offer  you, 
too,  unbounded  wealth  and  power." 

"  Power  I  have  already,  and  riches  enough 
for  my  needs,"  Fionn  answered. 

Then  for  the  first  time  Aina  spoke  to  him  : 

"  I  will  give  you  strong  sons  to  bear  your 
name,  and  as  long  as  I  am  with  you  grey 
old  age  shall  never  touch  you,"  she  promised, 
not  knowing  the  wicked  depths  of  her  sister's 
mind. 

Fionn's  determination  not  to  marry  one  of 
the  faery  race  wavered  as  he  looked  in  Aina's 
soft  brown  eyes,  and,  though  he  felt  that  by 
choosing  Aina  he  would  probably  rouse  her 
sister's  enmity,  he  said : 


76        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"For  your  sake  I  will  break  through  old 
customs,  and  I  choose  you,  Aina,  to  be  my 
wife." 

When  Miluchra  heard  his  decision  her 
blue  eyes  grew  hard  and  steel-like  with  jealous 
rage,  and  she  went  away,  vowing  vengeance 
on  Fionn  for  his  refusal  of  her  love.  For 
a  long  time  she  meditated  on  the  form  her 
revenge  should  take,  then  one  day  she  called 
her  kinsfolk  together,  and  asked  them  to  make 
her  a  magic  lake  on  the  mountain  called  Slieve 
Gullion — a  lake  that  would  take  youth  and 
strength  from  whoever  entered  its  water. 

The  weeks  passed  by,  and  one  autumn  day 
it  happened  that  Fionn  was  alone  on  the  plain 
of  Allen.  Suddenly  a  fawn  darted  out  from 
the  wood  a  short  distance  away,  and  Fionn, 
calling  Bran  and  Sgeolan  to  him,  started  in 
pursuit.  Northwards  the  fawn  fled,  but  all 
through  the  long  chase  Fionn  and  his  dogs 
kept  it  in  sight.  At  length  they  came  to 
Slieve  Gullion,  and  the  fawn,  with  its  pursuers 
close  on  it  now,  steadily  mounted  the  hillside  ; 
but,  as  they  were  passing  through  a  dense 


THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW         77 

thicket  of  tall -growing  bracken,  the  fawn 
disappeared,  nor  could  the  dogs  pick  up  its 
trail  or  scent  it  in  any  direction. 

While  his  hounds  nosed  round,  Fionn 
walked  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  and  came 
to  a  lovely  little  lake,  on  the  brink  of  which 
sat  a  young  girl  who  wept  and  looked  sorrow- 
fully into  the  water. 

"  What  ails  you,  maiden,"  asked  Fionn, 
"  that  you  weep  and  are  sorrowful  ? " 

"A  most  beautiful  ring  I  had,"  she  an- 
swered, "a  ring  with  shining  purple  stones 
in  it,  and  as  I  bathed  in  the  lake  it  slipped 
from  my  finger.  I  put  you  under  geasa,  O 
Fian-chief — for  I  know  well  you  are  Fionn — 
to  recover  it  for  me." 

"  If  it  is  only  a  ring  you  sorrow  for,"  said 
Fionn,  "  I  will  give  you  several  to  make  up 
for  its  loss."  He  did  not  like  being  put  under 
geasa  for  such  a  trivial  thing  as  this  seemed 
to  him ;  for  being  under  "  geasa "  meant  that 
he  could  not  refuse  this  request  without  his 
fame  and  honour  suffering. 

"  If  you  gave  me  the  hundred  best  rings  in 
the  world  they  would  not  be  dear  to  me  as 


78        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

my  own  ring  is,"  the  girl  answered ;  "  and  if 
you  refuse  my  request  I  will  proclaim  through- 
out Ireland  that  the  Fian-chief  has  neither 
honour  nor  chivalry." 

Without  saying  another  word,  Fionn  placed 
his  weapons  carefully  on  the  shore,  and  slipping 
out  of  his  clothes  dived  into  the  lake  and 
searched  until  he  discovered  the  ring  lying  on 
some  sand.  He  held  it  out  to  the  girl  who, 
laughing  maliciously,  snatched  it  from  him, 
and  springing  into  the  lake  disappeared  without 
even  giving  Fionn  a  word  of  thanks. 

Fionn  was  astonished  at  this  proceeding, 
but  he  thought  to  himself,  "  Well,  there's  no 
accounting  for  the  ways  of  women,"  and  waded 
to  the  shore.  He  began  to  walk  towards  his 
clothes,  but  suddenly  felt  so  weak  and  weary 
and  old  that  he  had  to  sit  down.  When  he 
tried  to  rise  he  found  he  could  not,  for  crooked 
old  age  had  come  swiftly  upon  him  ;  so  on  his 
hands  and  knees  he  crawled  to  his  clothes, 
and  wrapping  his  cloak  round  him  lay  down 
on  the  grass,  wondering  what  evil  thing  had 
befallen  him. 

Bran  and  Sgeolan  ran  up  then,  panting  and 


THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW        79 

thirsty,  and  after  drinking  from  the  lake 
sniffed  round  Fionn,  but,  not  recognizing 
either  him  or  his  voice,  ran  off  again. 

Some  time  afterwards  Caeilte  mac  Ronan, 
with  a  number  of  Fians,  arrived  at  the  lake-side. 
On  hearing  that  Fionn  had  started  out  by 
himself,  they  followed  and  had  tracked  him  as 
far  as  the  lake.  There  all  trace  of  him  ceased, 
but  seeing  the  feeble  old  man  lying  there, 
Caeilte  questioned  him. 

"  Have  you  seen  a  fawn  pass  along  here," 
he  asked,  "followed  by  a  hunter  of  very 
noble  and  warlike  appearance,  and  two  swift 
hounds  ? " 

"  I  saw  them,  O  warrior,  and  it  is  but  a 
short  time  since  the  hounds  drank  at  the 
water  there  and  ran  down  the  hillside," 
answered  the  old  man  in  a  quavering  voice. 

On  hearing  this,  Caeilte  with  his  companions 
departed,  and  Fionn  sorrowed  exceedingly  as 
the  sound  of  their  voices  died  away.  It  was 
inconceivable  to  him  that  his  dearest  friends 
did  not  know  him,  nor  did  he  like  to  reveal  to 
them  that  he  was  Fionn,  the  foremost  champion 
of  Ireland. 


80         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

The  dark  hours  of  the  night  passed  on,  and 
Fionn  shivered  as  the  chill  autumnal  dews 
dropped  on  his  weak  and  helpless  limbs.  He 
thought  how  the  poor  and  the  old  must  suffer, 
without  warmth  or  comfort,  and  welcomed 
the  dawn  and  sunrise  more  eagerly  than  he 
ever  had  before ;  then  on  his  ears  fell  the 
sound  of  men's  voices  shouting  and  calling, 
and  the  barking  of  many  dogs.  Nearer  and 
nearer  the  sound  came  ;  a  minute  or  two  later 
his  son  Oisin,  and  Oscur  the  son  of  Oisin, 
with  Caeilte'  and  Conan  mac  Morna  and  a 
great  band  of  the  Fianna  Eireann,  came  over 
the  hill-top  to  him. 

"  Old  man,"  said  Caeilte,  "  has  the  warrior 
that  I  questioned  you  about  yesterday  passed 
by  here  since  ? " 

"  That  is  my  father's  cloak  you  are  wrapped 
in,"  cried  Oisin  hastily,  before  the  old  man 
could  speak.  "  How  did  you  get  it  ?  And 
tell  us  the  truth  about  it,  or  death  will  soon 
be  your  portion." 

"  Alas  ! "  exclaimed  Fionn,  "  that  my  own 
son  should  not  know  me." 

They  all  stared  at  the  old  man  in  amaze- 


THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW        81 

merit,  and  Fionn  then  began  to  relate  the 
story  of  his  adventures  to  the  Fians.  When 
he  had  ended  they  cried  three  loud  cries  of 
woe,  and  at  the  sound  the  fox  hurried  back 
to  his  earth,  the  badger  to  his  hole,  and  the 
affrighted  birds  flew  to  their  nests,  and  to  this 
day  the  lake  is  called  the  Lake  of  Sorrow. 

Fat,  bald  Conan  mac  Morna,  when  he  saw 
Fionn  lying  there  helpless,  thought  that  now 
he  would  take  vengeance  on  Fionn  for  all  the 
gibes  and  sneers  the  Fians  had  treated  him  to. 
So  stepping  up  to  Fionn  he  began  to  abuse 
him. 

"  All  the  time  I  have  been  with  the  Fianna 
you  never  praised  me  or  my  brave  deeds,"  he 
said,  "and  much  it  pleases  me  to  see  you 
lying  there,  for  now  I  can  cut  off  your  head. 
The  only  grief  I  have  is  that  all  your  Fians 
are  not  in  the  same  state  you  are ;  if  they 
were,  my  sword  should  run  red  in  their  blood." 

In  great  indignation  Oscur  turned  on 
Conan. 

"Long  have  I  known  that  there  is  neither 
sense  nor  shame  in  that  bald  head  of  yours," 
he  said;  "but  not  till  now  did  I  believe  that 


82        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

one  of  the  Clan  Morna  possessed  the  cowardice 
and  meanness  you  have  shown.  For  your 
threats  to  our  chief  I  will  deal  with  you  so 
hardly  that  from  now  till  the  day  of  your 
death  you  shall  speak  no  more  evil  words," 
and  clenching  his  fists  tightly  he  rushed  at 
Conan. 

But  Conan,  hearing  Oscur  speak  in  such  a 
furious  manner,  sheltered  himself  at  the  back 
of  the  Fians,  crying  : 

"  Oh,  save  me  from  that  terrible  man,  for 
he  has  a  woeful  temper  and  a  very  strong 
arm  ! "  So,  because  his  high-sounding  speeches 
and  queer  deeds  provided  them  with  a  good 
deal  of  amusement,  they  laughingly  protected 
him  from  Oscur's  wrath ;  for  they  knew  that 
Conan  had  no  power  to  ever  injure  Fionn. 

Oisin  now  asked  his  father  what  they  could 
do  to  free  him  from  this  dreadful  enchantment 
of  old  age  which  had  come  upon  him. 

"Take  me,"  said  Fionn,  "to  the  hill  of 
Cuillean  of  Cooalney.  It  was  his  daughter 
Miluchra,  sister  to  my  own  wife,  who  put  this 
spell  on  me,  and  only  Cuillean  can  remove  it" 

The  Fians  made  a  litter  of  pine  branches 


THE  LAKE  OF  SORROW         83 

and  soft  leaves,  and  carried  Fionn  gently  to 
the  hill  of  the  Sidhe,  where  Cuillean  lived ; 
but  though  they  waited  there  some  time  no 
one  came  out  to  welcome  them.  Then,  from 
all  parts  of  Ireland,  Oisin  summoned  seven 
battalions  of  the  Fianna  to  him,  and  for  three 
days  and  nights  they  laboured  unceasingly  at 
the  hill,  digging  it  away  and  tunnelling  to  the 
very  heart  of  it.  Then  Cuillean,  fearing  lest 
they  would  level  his  hill-palace  straight  to  the 
ground,  came  out  to  them,  bearing  in  his  hand 
a  cup  of  gold,  and  going  up  to  Fionn  he 
asked  him  to  drink  of  its  contents.  Fionn 
obeyed,  and  immediately  his  own  shape  re- 
turned to  him,  and  his  strength  was  greater 
than  it  had  ever  been  before ;  the  only  thing 
which  remained  unchanged  was  his  hair,  which 
shone  like  white  silver. 

There  were  some  of  the  Fianna  who  would 
have  liked  to  drink  from  the  cup  also,  for 
Cuillean  said  that  whoever  drank  from  it 
would  have  knowledge  of  the  future.  But  as 
Fionn  was  passing  the  cup  to  one  of  them  it 
slipped  from  his  hand  and  sank  deep  into  the 
earth,  and  was  never  found  again  ;  only  where 


84         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

it  sank  a  many-branched  tree  sprang  up,  and 
it  is  said  that  whoever  gazed  on  that  tree  in 
the  morning,  before  breaking  his  fast,  would 
most  surely  know  all  that  would  happen  to 
him  from  that  time  until  nightfall. 

As  for  Miluchra,  who  because  of  her  jealous 
hatred  tried  to  wreak  such  great  evil  on  Fionn, 
neither  he  nor  Aina  ever  saw  her  again  ;  but 
the  Lake  of  Sorrow  still  remains,  and  even 
to-day  people  say  that  its  waters  have  power 
to  change  one's  hair  to  silver-grey. 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   HOUND 

ONE  sunny  April  morning  Fionn  woke  up, 
troubled  by  a  vague  uneasiness,  and  think  as 
he  would  he  could  find  no  reason  for  it.  At 
last  he  suddenly  remembered  one  of  his  geasa 
— one,  indeed,  that  he  had  forgotten  for  the 
time  being— that  he  was  not  to  sleep  for  more 
than  nine  nights  in  succession  at  the  Hill  of 
Allen,  and  this  was  the  ninth  night  he  had 
spent  there.  All  the  old  kings  and  heroes 
had  geasa,  or  prohibitions ;  that  is,  certain 
things  which  the  Druids  foretold  as  being 
unlucky  or  fatal  for  them  to  do.  Some  other 
of  Fionn's  geasa  were  that  he  must  never 
look  on  a  dead  man,  unless  he  had  been  killed 
by  weapons ;  that  he  must  never  refuse  a 
request ;  and  a  wise  woman,  a  prophetess, 
put  a  prohibition  on  him  never  to  drink  out 

85 


86        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

of  a  horn,  foretelling  that  if  he  ever  forgot 
that  prohibition  and  did  so  drink  the  day  of 
his  death  would  be  near. 

He  quickly  dressed  himself,  and  going  to 
the  door  called  Oisin,  who  was  watching  a 
number  of  long-legged  young  lambs  gambol- 
ling in  the  meadows  below. 

"Only  this  moment  have  I  remembered 
something  that  it  would  have  been  ill  indeed  for 
me  to  forget,"  said  Fionn.  "  Nine  nights  I  have 
slumbered  here,  and,  as  you  know,  I  am  for- 
bidden to  stay  beyond  that  time.  Now  gather 
together  a  battalion  of  the  Fianna,  and  we 
will  visit  the  King  of  Munster.  If  we  start  at 
midday  we  can  easily  reach  a  good  camping- 
ground  before  dusk." 

At  noon  Fionn  and  his  men,  with  a  number 
of  hounds,  set  out  on  their  journey,  but  as 
they  were  passing  a  rath  near  the  level  plain 
of  Femen  they  saw,  sitting  on  its  grassy  slope, 
three  young  men,  accompanied  by  an  immense 
dog  whose  skin  had  all  the  colours  of  the 
rainbow  over  it. 

"What  a  strange -looking  hound!"  said 
Fionn  to  Oisin  ;  "  never  before  have  I  seen  one 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND      87 

of  that  size  and  colour."  Then  he  spoke  to 
the  men :  "  Who  are  you,  young  men,  and 
where  do  you  come  from  ? " 

"  We  are  princes,  sons  of  the  King  of 
Norway,  and  have  travelled  across  the  sea 
from  the  east  to  meet  you,  lord  of  the  Fians," 
they  answered. 

"  What  do  you  seek,  or  what  is  your  need  ? " 
asked  Fionn. 

"  We  have  heard  of  your  fame  as  a  warrior, 
and  we  wish  to  take  service  with  you,"  they 
replied. 

"  Are  you  good  fighters? "  questioned  Fionn. 
"  No  one  can  enter  the  Fianna  who  has  not 
strength  in  his  arm  and  unfailing  courage  in 
his  heart.  He  must  be  courteous  to  his 
enemies,  and  loyal  to  his  friends,  and  truth 
must  be  on  his  tongue  always.  If  a  man 
enters  the  Fianna  Eireann,  and  after  entering 
fails  in  either  of  these  things,  then  the  Fians 
cast  him  out,  and  disgrace  rests  on  him  where- 
ever  he  goes." 

"  We  pledge  you  our  word,"  said  they,  "  that 
in  neither  of  these  things  shall  we  ever  fail. 
Nor  are  we  without  knowledge,  for  certain 


88        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

gifts  are  ours  that  may  be  of  use  to  you  some 
time  or  other." 

"  What  are  they  ?  "  asked  Fionn. 

"  I  will  watch  over  and  guard  the  Fianna 
of  Ireland,  both  night  and  day,"  said  one. 

"That  is  a  good  thing  for  one  man  to  be 
able  to  do,"  remarked  Fionn  ;  "  though  indeed 
it  is  not  my  Fians  that  need  guarding,  but 
their  enemies." 

"  Well,"  said  the  second,  "  when  they  are 
in  danger  in  any  battle  or  fight  I  will  promise 
that  they  are  not  overcome." 

"That  is  a  great  thing  for  one  man  to 
promise ;  but  each  man  of  my  Fianna  is  a 
hero,  and  has  proved  himself  in  many  fights," 
said  Fionn  proudly.  "  Moreover,  they  are 
always  the  conquerors  in  any  fight  in  which 
they  take  part." 

"  If  anything  should  trouble  you,"  said  the 
third,  "  I  will  smooth  the  trouble  away  ;  and 
anything  you  ask  of  me  I  will  do.  I  can 
promise  that  if  you  take  us  for  your  men  the 
Fianna  will  never  go  hungry,  for  the  hound 
we  have  with  us  is  a  great  hunter,  and  as  long 
as  there  are  deer  in  Ireland  he  will  hunt  for 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND      89 

you  one  night,  and  I  will  hunt  the  following 
night,  for  whatever  time  we  are  with  you." 

"  Hitherto  the  Fianna  have  been  able  to 
hunt  for  themselves ;  and  if  they  were  not,  I 
do  not  imagine  that  fat  dog  with  you  could 
overtake  and  kill  our  swift  deer  or  the  fierce 
boar."  The  brothers  frowned,  and  Fionn 
added  courteously :  "  However,  do  not  think 
that  I  speak  disparagingly  of  either  your  gifts 
or  your  dog ;  without  doubt  they  will  be  very 
useful  to  us  at  some  future  time.  Tell  me 
now,  before  I  admit  you  into  the  Fianna, 
whether  you  have  any  special  conditions  or 
vows  to  keep  ? " 

"  Three  things  we  ask  of  you,"  they  replied. 
"  One  is,  that  after  twilight  none  must  be 
allowed  to  come  near  our  camp.  Another  is, 
that  we  do  not  wish  you  to  give  us  food  and 
drink  ;  we  are  under  a  vow  to  provide  every- 
thing for  ourselves.  Our  third  request  is,  that 
you  give  us  that  part  of  the  country  to  hunt 
which  contains  the  least  game." 

"Those  are  very  curious  demands,"  said 
Fionn.  "  I  should  like  to  know  what  reason 
you  have  for  wishing  to  remain  isolated  after 


90        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

nightfall  ?  It  is  a  custom  of  the  Fianna  to  be 
merry  at  night  after  the  day's  work,  and  if 
you  hold  to  this  condition  you  will  be  lonely 
while  your  comrades  are  feasting." 

"  We  may  not  tell  you  our  reasons,"  they 
answered,  "and  whether  we  travel  together 
for  a  week  or  for  years  we  must  ask  you  to 
question  us  no  more.  One  thing,  however, 
we  may  tell  you  :  every  third  night  one  of  us 
seems  to  die,  and  the  other  two  watch  him 
till  the  dawn  comes,  for  he  must  not  be  dis- 
turbed. Therefore  we  would  have  our  camp 
at  a  distance  from  yours." 

"  I  give  you  my  word,"  said  Fionn,  "  that 
I  and  my  Fians  will  never  seek  to  visit  you 
at  night-time.  Besides,  I  am  forbidden  to 
see  a  dead  man  unless  he  has  been  killed  by 
weapons." 

So  the  three  men  entered  the  Fianna  of 
Ireland ;  but  Fionn,  instead  of  proceeding  on 
his  journey,  gave  instructions  to  his  men  to 
camp  by  the  side  of  the  rath,  saying  they 
would  stop  there  for  some  time  and  hunt 
through  the  country  round  them. 

When   they   had   been   there   a   few  days 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND      91 

seven  men  of  learning  came  to  Fionn  to  recite 
a  poem  to  him,  and  the  fee  they  demanded 
afterwards  was  a  hundred  and  fifty  ounces  of 
gold  and  the  same  weight  of  silver,  which  they 
wished  to  take  to  the  king  at  Tara. 

"  I  have  not  that  amount  of  gold  and  silver 
with  me,"  said  Fionn;  "and  though  your  poem 
is  good,  I  am  making  as  good  a  one  myself, 
and  do  not  want  the  wealth  of  the  world  for 
it  either.  I  have  listened  to  yours,  now  I  will 
recite  mine  to  you  "  ;  and  he  began  : 

The  may  blooms  fair  on  the  high  green  hedges, 
The  moor-fowls  nest  in  the  reeds  and  sedges ; 
On  chestnut  trees  the  blackbirds  are  singing, 
And  over  hills  where  the  wild  geese  are  winging 
The  furze  blows  golden  and  gay. 

When  the  poets  heard  Fionn  speak  so 
contemptuously,  as  they  thought,  of  their 
poem  they  were  very  indignant  and  would 
not  listen  to  him,  and  said  they  certainly 
would  not  go  away  without  their  fee.  One  of 
the  Norwegian  princes,  on  hearing  this,  said : 

"  Well,  makers  of  poems,  must  you  have 
your  fee  this  evening  or  will  you  wait  until 
the  morning  ? " 


92         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  If  it  is  forthcoming  in  the  morning  we 
shall  be  content  to  wait,"  they  replied. 

The  three  men  went  away  to  their  lonely 
camp,  and  called  the  hound,  saying  to  it : 

"  Hound  of  wonder  and  magic,  help  us 
now." 

Then  the  hound  opened  its  mouth  and 
breathed  hard,  and  with  each  breath  pieces  of 
gold  and  silver  rolled  out  more  quickly  than 
the  princes  could  pick  them  up,  and  in  the 
morning  the  poets  received  their  fee  and 
departed.  But  Fionn  was  amazed  that  the 
money  was  forthcoming,  and  said  that  the  men 
of  Norway  were  workers  of  wonders,  and  that 
henceforth  the  rath  should  be  known  as  "  the 
little  rath  of  wonders." 

This  was  not  the  only  time  the  princes 
astonished  the  Fians  by  their  deeds,  for  one 
very  hot  evening  Fionn  and  his  men,  returning 
from  a  hunting  expedition,  found  that  the 
spring  on  which  they  relied  for  water  had 
almost  dried  up,  and  they  were  far  from  any 
other  stream  or  spring. 

"  What  shall  we  do  for  water  ? "  asked 
Fionn.  "  We  could  manage  well  enough  if 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND      93 

there  was  a  house  near  that  could  give  us  ale  ; 
but  even  if  there  was  we  are  so  thirsty  to- 
night that  I  think  no  house — except  that  of 
a  king — could  provide  sufficient  to  quench 
our  thirst." 

"  How  many  drinking  -  cups  have  you, 
chief? "  asked  one  of  the  men  of  Norway. 

"  Three  hundred  and  twelve  altogether," 
answered  Fionn. 

"  Pass  the  cups  to  me  and  I  will  see  to  the 
filling  of  them,"  said  the  man ;  "  and  do  you 
all  drink  whatever  is  found  in  them." 

Three  times  the  cups  were  rilled  and 
emptied,  and  at  the  end  of  the  third  drinking 
a  mist  of  enchantment  covered  the  minds  of 
the  Fians.  Each  man  beheld  his  comrade  as 
some  one  most  wonderful  and  noble,  and  it 
seemed  to  each  man  there  that  he  was  follow- 
ing a  path  which  led  to  strange  adventures — 
perchance  to  the  hidden  Land  of  the  Ever- 
Young,  where  the  apple-blossoms  chimed  and 
rang  together  like  delicate  silver  bells ;  and 
where,  whatever  a  man  wished,  his  wish  was 
fulfilled  on  the  instant ;  or,  if  he  thought  of 
anything  beautiful,  his  thought  took  form  and 


94        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

shaped  itself  before  his  eyes.  But  in  the 
morning  the  mist  cleared  from  their  minds, 
and  only  Fionn  and  Oisin  and  Caeilte,  and  one 
or  two  others,  remembered  that  during  the 
night  they  had  been  taken  away  to  Tir-na- 
noge,  the  happy  land  where  neither  sorrow 
nor  death  nor  anything  unlovely  has  place. 

For  a  year,  or  perhaps  a  little  more,  the 
three  wonder-working  princes  of  Norway  were 
with  Fionn  wherever  he  went,  and  no  man 
sought  to  intrude  upon  their  solitude  at  night. 
They  always  camped  apart,  and  at  the  dark  of 
every  day  would  surround  their  camp  with  a 
magic  wall  of  fire,  which  flamed  up  high  from 
the  ground,  hiding  them  from  the  sight  of 
every  one.  Then  one  night  it  fell  to  Donn 
and  Dubhan,  the  King  of  Ulster's  sons,  to 
keep  guard  while  the  Fians  slept.  Three 
times  they  encircled  the  camp,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  third  round  they  stood  watching 
the  fiery  wall  that  guarded  the  camp  of  the 
three  men. 

"  It  is  a  curious  thing,"  said  Donn,  "  that 
for  a  year  or  more  these  young  men  with  their 
hound  have  been  with  us,  and  no  one  has  ever 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND      95 

seen  them  after  nightfall.  I  have  a  strong 
desire  this  night  to  pass  that  fire-wall  and  see 
what  is  happening  inside.  Will  you  come 
with  me  ? " 

An  indefinable  feeling  of  danger  swept 
over  Dubhan,  and  he  was  silent  for  a  moment. 
At  last  he  said  : 

"  If  you  insist  on  going,  surely  I  will 
accompany  you  ;  but  my  mind  misgives  me 
about  this  adventure.  I  fear  it  will  bring 
evil  to  us." 

Grasping  their  shields  and  spears  firmly, 
they  passed  through  the  circle  of  leaping 
flames.  Then  a  strange  sight  met  their  eyes : 
one  of  the  three  men  lay  stretched  at  full 
length  on  the  ground,  motionless  and  seemingly 
dead,  while  another  stood  beside  him,  leaning 
on  a  long  bright  sword ;  the  third  sat  beside 
the  hound,  which,  to  the  astonishment  of 
Donn  and  Dubhan,  had  shrunk  to  the  size  of 
a  small  dog  one  could  carry  under  one's  arm. 
On  the  ground  by  its  side  were  silver  cups 
and  dishes,  and  whenever  either  of  the  two 
princes  wished  for  wine  or  ale,  or  any  other 
refreshment,  he  spoke  to  the  little  animal, 


96         HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

which  immediately  turned  its  head  and 
breathed  an  encircling  mist  about  it,  and  when 
it  cleared  away  Donn  and  Dubhan  saw  that 
the  cups  and  dishes  contained  whatever  had 
been  asked  for. 

The  King  of  Ulster's  sons  looked  and 
looked  again,  and  forgot  their  danger  in  re- 
maining in  this  place  of  magic.  They  forgot, 
also,  that  they  had  broken  the  promise  of 
solitude  Fionn  had  given  on  behalf  of  the 
Fians  to  the  three  men  of  Norway.  In  a 
moment  or  two,  without  turning  round  to 
look  at  them,  the  man  sitting  by  the  side  of 
the  dog  said  : 

"  O  hound  of  wonder  and  power,  the  word 
given  by  Fionn  has  been  set  aside,  and  those 
who  have  broken  it  are  near." 

The  hound  rose,  and  suddenly  assuming  its 
gigantic  size  breathed  hard  in  the  direction  of 
the  brothers.  Each  breath  was  like  a  strong 
rushing  wind  ;  with  one  breath  their  shields 
were  blown  from  their  shoulders  into  the 
rampart  of  fire,  with  another  their  weapons 
were  wrenched  from  their  hands  and  destroyed 
also.  Then  the  man  who  appeared  to  be 


ONE  OF  THE  THREE  MEN  LAY  MOTIONLESS  ON  THE  GROUND 


THE  MYSTERIOUS  HOUND      97 

dead  rose  from  the  ground,  and  the  three 
brothers  attacked  Donn  and  Dubhan,  who 
having  no  arms  to  defend  themselves  with, 
were  killed. 

"  Breathe  on  them,  hound,  and  make  them 
as  though  they  had  never  lived,"  said  the 
men. 

The  hound  blew  a  fiery  breath  on  the 
bodies  of  Donn  and  Dubhan,  and  immediately 
they  were  burned  into  little  heaps  of  ashes, 
which  were  blown  hither  and  thither  by  the 
wind. 

In  the  morning  it  was  told  to  Fionn  that 
Donn  and  his  brother  had  disappeared,  and  he 
sent  his  men  all  through  Ireland  searching  for 
them ;  but  the  Fians  returned,  saying  there 
was  no  trace  anywhere  of  the  King  of  Ulster's 
sons.  When  Fionn  heard  that  he  placed  his 
thumb  of  knowledge  in  his  mouth,  and  divined 
instantly  the  dreadful  death  that  had  happened 
to  Donn  and  Dubhan.  Terrible  then  was  the 
wrath  that  filled  him  against  the  King  of 
Norway's  sons — for  Fionn  alone  had  power  to 
judge  any  misdeed  or  broken  word  of  the 
Fianna — and  taking  his  spear  in  his  hand  he 


98        HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

went  out  to  the  camp  of  the  men  of  Norway ; 
but  they  and  their  hound  had  disappeared,  nor 
were  they  ever  seen  or  heard  of  in  Ireland 
again. 


THE  PURSUIT  OF  THE  GILLA 
DECAIR 


THE  beech  leaves  were  turning  brown  and 
crimson  and  gold  when  Fionn  mac  Cumall, 
with  some  of  the  Fianna,  left  the  Hill  of 
Allen  to  hunt  through  the  forests  of  Munster. 
One  day,  however,  Fionn,  instead  of  following 
the  chase,  sat  on  a  sunny  hillside  with  a  few 
of  his  men,  and  among  them  was  Conan  mac 
Morna,  who  had  a  more  bitter  and  abusive 
tongue  than  all  the  rest  of  the  Fianna 
together. 

After  resting  there  quietly  for  a  time, 
listening  to  the  pleasant  baying  of  the  hounds 
and  the  calling  of  his  men,  Fionn  said  : 

"No  guard  has  yet  been  set  on  the  hill 
to  tell  us  when  friend  or  enemy  approaches. 
Finnbane,  son  of  Bresal,  will  you  keep  watch 


100      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

and  ward  so  that  none  can  come  upon  us 
unawares  ? " 

"I  will,  chief,"  answered  Finnbane,  and 
rising  he  ascended  to  the  hill- top,  from  whence 
he  could  watch  the  paths  leading  north  and 
south,  east  and  west.  He  had  not  been  long 
there,  when  he  saw,  coming  from  the  east 
towards  him,  a  very  tall  man,  more  ugly  and 
misshapen  than  any  one  he  had  ever  seen 
before.  His  two  arms  were  not  the  same 
length,  and  one  leg  was  shorter  than  the 
other ;  even  his  eyes  looked  different  ways, 
and,  to  make  his  appearance  worse,  he  was 
as  black  -  looking  as  though  he  had  been 
dipped  in  bog  -  mud.  He  was  dragging  a 
feeble,  miserable-looking  grey  horse  along  by 
a  thick,  rough  rope,  and  when  Finnbane  saw 
the  thinness  of  the  animal  he  felt  very  sorry 
for  it.  Sometimes  the  horse  would  stop,  then 
the  man  would  tug  at  its  head  and  hit  its 
ribs — which  were  nearly  sticking  out  through 
its  skin — with  a  big  stick,  and  each  time  that 
he  struck  the  horse  it  sounded  like  the  beating 
of  a  drum. 

Finnbane  watched  this  strange  couple  till 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  101 

they  came  nearer,  then  he  hurried  down,  the 
hillside  to  tell  Fionn  about  th'em.'  Before  he 
could  speak  Fionn  said  £  ,  /;- 

"  What  is  that  noise  I  hear  ?  It  is  like  the 
sound  of  sticks  on  a  stretched  skin." 

"  It  is  that  indeed,"  said  Finnbane  angrily, 
"and  I  wish  I  had  the  maker  of  that  noise 
under  my  hands  for  a  few  minutes." 

Just  then  the  big  man,  still  tugging  at  his 
slow-moving  horse,  came  into  sight,  and  the 
Fians  watched  him  with  great  amusement  as 
he  approached.  When  at  last  he  reached 
them  he  bent  his  knee  before  Fionn  in 
greeting,  and  Fionn,  after  regarding  him  in 
silent  astonishment  for  a  moment,  said  : 

"  Surely  you  do  not  belong  to  this  country, 
for  in  all  our  years  of  wandering  we  have 
never  seen  one  like  you  before.  Tell  us,  what 
is  the  name  of  your  clan  ? " 

"  I  do  not  know  much  of  my  clan,"  the 
stranger  replied  gruffly,  "  nor  do  I  want  to ; 
it  is  quite  enough  for  me  to  mind  myself  and 
this  sulky  old  horse,  without  troubling  about 
any  clan  at  all." 

"Truly  that  horse  is  a  wonder  to   look 


102      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

upon."  interrupted  rConan  mac  Morna,  "and 
care  should  be  taken  that  nothing  evil  happens 
tit?  it,  It.must  rbe  a  queer  country  that  pro- 
duced both  you  and  that  extraordinary  animal 
at  the  same  time." 

The  big  man  glared  with  one  eye  at  Conan, 
at  the  same  time  turning  the  other  eye  round 
to  look  at  his  horse,  which  was  snapping  away 
with  its  long  teeth  at  his  back.  Then  he 
continued : 

"  I  am  a  descendant  of  the  Fomorians,  and 
I  have  come  to  you  for  employment,  Fionn 
mac  Cumall,  because  I  have  heard  that  in  the 
matter  of  payment  you  are  not  at  all  mean, 
and  never  yet  denied  to  any  man  what  he  was 
worth." 

"  I  have  not,"  said  Fionn,  "  nor  will  I  now. 
But  I  wonder  you  travel  without  a  boy  to 
attend  to  your  horse,  which  seems  rather 
troublesome." 

"  Nothing  would  worry  me  more  than  to 
have  a  boy  with  me,"  said  the  man.  "  Every 
day  I  need  as  much  food  as  would  serve  a 
hundred  men,  and  even  that  1  count  very 
little  for  myself.  If  I  had  a  boy  he  would 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  103 

only  be  meddling  with  it,  and  eating  it 
himself,  and  that  would  cause  me  much 
vexation." 

All  the  Fians  laughed  out  loud  ;  but  Fionn 
continued : 

"  By  what  name  are  you  known  ? " 

"  You  can  call  me  the  Gilla  Decair,"  the 
man  replied. 

"  But  that  means  the  Unwilling  Servant !  " 
exclaimed  Fionn,  in  a  surprised  manner. 
"  Why  have  you  chosen  such  an  unpleasant 
name  ? " 

"  I  chose  it,"  the  man  answered,  "  because 
any  work  I  have  to  do  for  whoever  is  my 
master  for  the  time  being  comes  harder  to  me 
than  anything  else  in  the  whole  world.  But 
tell  me,"  he  said,  turning  to  Conan  mac 
Morna,  "among  the  Fianna  do  the  horsemen 
or  the  footmen  have  the  greater  wage  ? " 

"  The  horsemen  have  twice  as  much  as  the 
footmen,"  said  Conan. 

"Then  I  shall  be  a  horseman,  Conan,  and 
if  any  one  doubts  my  word  I  shall  expect  you 
to  testify  that  I  came  among  you  with  a 
horse " 


104      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  A  horse!"  repeated  Conan  scornfully.  "  I 
wonder  you  are  not  ashamed  to  be  seen  with 
it,  though  indeed  you  are  just  as  bad-looking 
yourself.  I  hope,"  he  said,  turning  to  Fionn, 
"you  are  not  going  to  disgrace  the  Fianna 
by  taking  that  ill-favoured  wretch  there  into 
it,  and  putting  his  bag  of  bones — calls  it  a 
horse,  indeed  ! — among  our  horses." 

"  As  a  horseman  I  come  to  you,  Fionn  mac 
Cumall,  and  a  horseman's  wages  I  expect," 
said  the  Gilla  Decair.  "  If  you  can  pledge 
your  word  that  nothing  shall  happen  to  my 
horse,  I  will  turn  him  out  among  yours,  and 
not  heed  what  that  abusive  man  there  says." 

"  Turn  him  out  by  all  means,  and  let  him 
eat  something,"  said  Fionn. 

"  I  take  you  at  your  word,"  said  the  Gilla 
Decair,  and  he  took  the  halter  from  the  horse's 
head.  The  animal  immediately  galloped  away 
as  fast  as  he  could,  until  it  came  to  where 
the  Fians'  horses  were  grazing ;  then  it  began 
to  work  the  most  tremendous  havoc  among 
them.  It  bit  their  eyes  out  with  its  long 
vicious  teeth,  and  snapped  off  their  ears,  and 
broke  their  legs  with  its  hard  kicks,  until 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECATR  105 

the  frightened  creatures  that  still  had  power 
to  move  fled  away  from  it  in  terror. 

"  Take  your  vicious  beast  away  from  our 
horses,"  cried  Conan ;  "  take  that  demon  away, 
I  say.  By  the  heaven  above  and  the  earth 
beneath  I  swear,  had  not  Fionn  told  you  to 
put  him  there,  that  nothing  would  prevent 
me  from  splitting  his  head  with  my  sword 
and  letting  his  wicked  brains  loose  on  the 
ground.  As  for  you,  Fionn,"  he  said,  turning 
to  the  chief,  "out  of  all  the  bad  people  you 
have  picked  up  at  one  time  and  another,  you 
never  had,  and  you  never  will  have,  a  worse 
man  than  this." 

"By  the  heaven  above  and  the  earth 
beneath  I  swear  too,"  said  the  GiUa  Decair, 
"that  not  one  hand  will  I  lift  to  take  him 
away.  I  am  a  Fian  now,  and  it  would  be 
undignified  for  me  to  lead  my  horse  by  hand." 

Conan  mac  Morna  rose  in  terrible  wrath, 
and  going  over  to  the  horse  put  its  halter  on, 
and  brought  it  away  from  the  other  horses. 
AU  the  Fians  laughed  when  they  saw  Conan 
holding  this  animal — which  looked  so  feeble 
and  spiritless,  and  yet  possessed  the  temper 


106      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

of  a  demon — not  daring  to  let  it  loose  again 
because  of  further  mischief  it  might  do. 

"  Oh,  Conan,  never  have  I  seen  you  do 
horse-boy's  work  before  for  any  of  the 
Fianna,"  said  Fionn,  "  yet  now  you  are  doing 
it  for  this  miserable  Fomorian,  who  is  far 
inferior  in  every  way  to  your  companions. 
Now,  if  you'll  heed  my  words,  you  will  mount 
that  horse,  and  gallop  him  up  the  hills,  and 
down  the  valleys,  and  over  the  fields  and 
streams  until  his  heart  is  broken  in  his  body 
and  he  dies.  In  that  way  we  shall  exact 
payment  from  the  Fomorian  for  the  destruc- 
tion his  horse  has  wrought  on  ours." 

"  For  once  you  have  given  good  advice," 
said  Conan,  as  he  vaulted  on  the  horse's  back, 
with  great  fury  striking  it  and  digging  his 
heels  into  its  ribs,  but  it  never  stirred. 

"I  know  what  is  the  matter  with  him," 
said  Fionn.  "  He  is  accustomed  to  carry  the 
great  weight  of  his  Fomorian  master,  and 
he  won't  move  unless  he  has  on  his  back  an 
equal  weight." 

One  Fian  after  another  went  over  to  the 
horse  and  mounted,  until  there  were  thirteen 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  107 

at  the  back  of  Conan.  At  that  the  horse  lay 
down  on  the  ground,  then  suddenly  jerked  up 
again,  and  all  the  Fians,  both  on  the  horse 
and  off,  laughed  so  much  and  so  loud  that 
you  could  have  heard  them  miles  away. 

"  You  are  treating  my  horse  with  ridicule," 
said  the  Gilla  Decair,  "and  putting  scorn  on 
me.  As  for  you,  Fionn,  when  I  see  your 
great  frivolity,  I  should  pity  myself  if  I 
stopped  with  you.  Moreover,  I  perceive  that 
all  the  good  reports  I  have  heard  of  you  are 
false,  and  I  shall  think  all  the  better  of  myself 
when  I  have  parted  company  with  you." 

The  Gilla  Decair  turned  away,  and  in  a 
very  weak  and  weary  manner  proceeded  to 
ascend  a  little  hill  before  him.  But  no  sooner 
was  he  on  the  other  side,  out  of  sight  of  the 
Fians,  than  he  fastened  his  coat  up  round  his 
waist,  and  ran  as  quickly  as  the  stars  shooting 
through  the  sky  on  a  frosty  night,  or  as  an 
arrow  flies  from  the  bow  that  is  drawn  by  a 
strong  arm. 

When  the  horse  saw  that  his  master  had 
forsaken  him,  he  took  to  galloping  after  him 
as  hard  as  he  could,  and  would  not  be  stopped. 


108      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Fionn  and  the  Fians  laughed  and  shouted  with 
delight  at  sight  of  those  thirteen  men  hanging 
closely  on  behind  Conan  ;  but  he,  perceiving 
that  he  could  not  dismount,  screamed  and 
called  to  the  Fians  to  stop  that  demon  of  a 
horse,  and  not  let  them  be  carried  away  by 
that  hideous  and  terrible  man,  of  whom  they 
had  no  knowledge. 

"  O  Fionn,"  he  cried,  "  may  all  ill  happen 
to  you  by  sea  and  by  land  ;  may  some  one 
who  is  worse  than  you — if  that  be  possible — 
deprive  you  of  life  and  cut  off  your  head, 
if  you  do  not  follow  us  to  whatever  part 
of  the  world  that  man  shall  take  us,  and  bring 
us  safely  back  to  Ireland  again." 

"  I  will  do  that,"  said  Fionn,  and  he  and 
his  men  immediately  set  out,  following  the 
Gilla  Decair  and  his  horse  over  hills,  through 
valleys,  and  across  rivers  until  they  came  to 
the  sea ;  then  just  as  the  horse  was  dashing 
into  the  water  after  its  master  one  of  the 
Fians,  called  Liagan  Luath,  caught  up  to  it 
and  held  it  by  the  tail,  thinking  that  would 
stop  its  flight.  Still  the  horse  continued  its 
journey  into  the  sea,  pulling  Liagan  after  it ; 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  109 

and  always  as  they  went  the  sea  divided  before 
them,  showing  a  clean  dry  path  ahead,  but 
rolled  its  foaming  waves  behind  them,  and 
both  horse  and  men  vanished  from  the  Fians' 
sight. 

Fionn  was  greatly  concerned  that  so  many 
of  his  men  were  taken  away  from  him  in  such 
a  manner,  though  Conan  had  put  him  under 
promise  to  recover  them. 

"  What  are  we  to  do  now  ? "  asked  Oisin. 

"  What  shall  we  do,"  Fionn  answered,  "  ex- 
cept follow  them  to  wherever  the  Fomorian 
has  taken  them,  and  by  some  means  or  other 
contrive  to  set  them  free  ? " 

"  But  we  have  neither  ship  nor  boat,"  said 
Oisin,  "and  even  if  we  had,  how  could  we 
trace  them  across  the  shifting  water  ? " 

"I  remember,"  said  Fionn,  "  that  the  Tuatha 
de  Danann  at  one  time  gave  to  the  Gael  a 
faery  ship,  that  would  carry  all  who  used  it 
wherever  they  wished  to  journey.  We  will 
go  straight  to  Ben  Edar,  where  we  shall  find 
this  ship." 

The  Fians  turned  to  go,  but  as  Fionn 
gave  a  last  look  over  the  sea  he  saw,  coming 


110      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

towards  him  over  the  wet  grey  sands,  two 
very  tall  men,  with  bright-bladed  swords  and 
shields  wonderfully  engraved  with  lions  and 
leopards  and  other  fierce  beasts.  They  bowed 
their  heads  and  bent  their  knees  in  greeting 
to  the  Fian  chief,  and  in  answer  to  Fionn's 
questions  one  of  them  said  he  was  Feradach 
the  Champion,  and  he  and  his  companion  had 
come  from  a  far  Eastern  land  to  proffer  their 
services  to  him. 

"  What  can  you  do  ? "  asked  Fionn. 

"Two  things  of  power  I  possess — an  axe 
and  a  sling,"  said  Feradach.  "If  there  were 
as  many  as  three  thousand  of  your  men 
waiting  to  sail  over  the  sea,  yet  with  three 
blows  of  my  axe  upon  the  sling -holder  I 
could  produce  enough  ships  to  hold  them 
all.  The  only  request  I  would  make  is  that 
they  should  not  look  upon  me  while  I  strike 
those  blows." 

"That  is  a  marvellous  feat,"  said  Fionn. 
"  Is  your  companion  able  to  perform  wonders 
also?" 

"  My  art  is  this,"  said  the  other  man,  "  that 
I  can  follow  the  trail  of  any  living  creature 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  111 

over  mountains  and  bogs  and  through  forests, 
and  discover  where  it  hides  itself,  and  it  is  as 
easy  for  me  to  do  this  on  water  as  on  land." 

"I  think,"  said  Fionn,  "that  beyond  all 
others  you  are  the  men  we  stand  most  in 
need  of  at  the  present  moment,"  and  he  told 
them  how  the  Gilla  Decair  had  captured 
fifteen  of  his  people. 

Feradach  said  he  would  gladly  help  Fionn, 
and  the  Fians  covered  their  eyes  with  their 
cloaks  while  he  struck  his  sling -stick  three 
times  with  his  axe  ;  when  the  Fians  uncovered 
their  eyes  they  saw  in  the  water  before  them 
a  large  ship,  with  masts  and  sails  ready  set  for 
a  voyage. 

Caeilte  rose  then  and  shouted  loudly,  so 
that  wherever  in  Ireland  the  Fianna  were 
they  heard  those  shouts,  and  hastened  to 
Fionn,  for  they  feared  some  great  danger  or 
peril  threatened  him. 

When  the  Fianna  had  all  gathered  they 
held  counsel  together,  and  it  was  agreed  that 
Fionn,  with  fifteen  of  his  men,  should  go  in 
pursuit  of  the  Gilla  Decair ;  and  during  his 
absence  Oisin  should  have  command  of  the 


112       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Fianna  and  keep  guard  over  Ireland.  As 
soon  as  Fionn  had  given  all  his  instructions  to 
Oisin,  he  and  his  men  boarded  the  ship,  which 
passed  over  the  high  waves  as  swiftly  as  a 
sea-gull  flies. 

Three  days  and  three  nights  they  journeyed 
without  seeing  land,  but  on  the  morning  of 
the  fourth  day  one  of  the  Fians  climbed  a 
mast,  and  far  over  the  tossing  sea  descried  an 
island,  with  huge  cliffs  rising  sheer  from  the 
ocean.  Soon  the  ship  drew  near  to  the  island, 
and  stopped  of  its  own  accord ;  but  the  Fians, 
seeing  how  little  foothold  the  high  slippery 
rocks  afforded,  wondered  how  they  would 
ever  climb  them.  Then  Fergus  Truelips,  one 
of  the  Fians'  Druids,  spoke  and  said  to 
Diarmuid,  grandson  of  Duibhne  : 

"  Though  in  your  youth  you  were  the 
companion  of  Angus  Oge,  and  the  wise  and 
kingly  Manannan  brought  you  up  in  his  Land 
of  Promise,  there  teaching  you  many  druidical 
and  magic  arts,  yet  you  seem  impotent  to 
help  in  the  hour  of  need,  and  lack  that  skill 
and  courage  one  would  expect  from  you,  who 
have  had  the  immortal  gods  for  your  friends 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  113 

and  teachers.  Is  it  not  possible  for  you  to 
devise  some  way  whereby  we  can  land  on  this 
rock-encircled  island,  and  search  for  our  lost 
comrades  ? " 

Diarmuid's  face  grew  red  with  indignation 
at  being  spoken  to  so  scornfully,  but  he  said 
nothing.  He  looked  from  the  ship  to  the 
cliff,  and  considered  for  a  moment,  then  he 
made  a  sudden  mighty  leap,  and  landed  on 
a  jutting  ledge  of  rock  far  above  his  head. 
His  comrades,  however,  could  not  accomplish 
that  leap,  so  Diarmuid  called  to  them  that 
he  would  explore  the  island,  and  bring  them 
word  if  the  Fians  were  there. 

He  walked  away  from  the  rock  and  through 
a  thick  wood  full  of  blossoming  trees,  until  he 
came  to  a  wide  plain.  He  stood  on  the  edge 
of  the  wood  and  surveyed  the  plain  for  some 
sign  of  life,  but  in  all  the  space  before  him 
there  was  not  one  being  to  be  seen.  Only  in 
the  midst  of  the  plain  stood  an  immense  leafy 
tree,  and  under  the  tree  a  deep  clear  spring  of 
running  water  bubbled,  and  by  the  side  of  it 
an  amber-coloured  drinking-cup  was  lying  on 
a  big  stone.  Diarmuid  walked  over  to  it  and 


114       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

picked  up  the  cup,  but  as  he  was  filling  it 
there  came  a  loud  murmuring  from  the  well, 
and  he  knew  then  that  some  magician  had 
placed  spells  on  it. 

"  All  the  same,"  he  said  aloud,  "  I  will 
drink  as  much  as  I  want  of  it,"  and  he  drank 
one  cupful  after  another. 

He  bent  down  to  replace  the  cup  on  the 
stone,  and  when  he  stood  up  again  he  saw 
before  him  a  stern-looking  man  with  a  drawn 
sword  in  his  hand. 

"You  have  no  right  here,"  said  the  man, 
"walking  on  my  land  and  drinking  my  water 
without  permission."  With  that  he  slashed 
at  Diarmuid's  head,  but  did  not  touch  him. 

"It  is  an  unchivalrous  act,  and  one  that 
the  Fians  have  never  done,  to  attack  a  man 
before  he  is  ready,"  said  Diarmuid  as  he  drew 
his  sword. 

All  through  the  day  they  fought,  and  many 
hard  blows  they  exchanged,  but  when  dusk 
began  to  fall  the  magician — as  Diarmuid 
imagined  him  to  be — dived  into  the  well  and 
disappeared,  and  to  Diarmuid  this  was  a  grief, 
for  his  fighting  madness  was  just  coming  on 


A  DEEP  CLEAR  SPRING  OF  RUNNING  WATER  BUBBLED.       DIARMUID 
WALKED  OVER  TO   IT 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  115 

him.  The  next  morning,  however,  the 
magician  appeared  again,  and  the  fight  was 
continued  till  evening,  when  he  again  dis- 
appeared. The  same  thing  occurred  on  the 
following  day,  but  when  the  magician  would 
have  dived  into  the  well  as  before,  Diarmuid 
seized  him  round  the  neck,  and  they  both  fell 
in  together. 

Down  they  dropped  through  the  clear 
water,  and  when  the  bottom  was  reached 
Diarmuid  was  so  astonished  at  the  sight 
before  his  eyes  that  he  loosened  his  grip  on  the 
magician,  who  escaped  as  quickly  as  he  could. 

The  well  had  widened  out  into  a  broad 
lake,  with  little  waves  breaking  on  golden 
sands,  and  rippling  over  Diarmuid's  feet.  He 
stood  there,  wondering  what  country  of  the 
Sidhe  he  had  reached,  for  before  him  stretched 
a  wide  green  plain,  with  beautiful  flowers 
growing  over  it,  and  shining  white  palaces 
standing  in  its  midst,  and  before  the  largest 
of  the  palaces  a  multitude  of  armed  men  were 
gathered.  Then  Diarmuid  saw  the  magician 
passing  through  this  warlike  host,  and  raising 
the  battle  shout  of  the  Fianna  he  ran  quickly 


116      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

after  him.  But  the  magician  escaped  through 
the  gates  into  the  palace,  and  the  whole  army 
turned  to  do  battle  with  the  Fian. 

Though  Diarmuid  was  so  greatly  out- 
numbered he  felt  no  fear,  for  his  battle-fury 
rose  in  him  stronger  than  ever.  Again  and 
again,  sword  in  hand,  he  went  through  the 
host,  and  wherever  he  passed  he  left  a  laneway 
of  dead  and  dying  warriors.  At  last  his 
enemies  fled  from  him  in  terror,  leaving  him 
alone  on  the  battle-field  ;  and  he,  exhausted 
and  full  of  wounds,  sank  down  on  the  ground 
and  fell  asleep. 

After  a  time  he  was  awakened  by  a  touch 
on  the  shoulder,  and  grasping  his  weapons  in 
his  hands,  he  rose  to  his  feet. 

"  I  can  still  fight,"  he  cried,  facing  the  big 
man  who  had  disturbed  him. 

"  Not  so  quick,  Diarmuid  ua  Duibhne," 
said  the  man.  "  I  have  not  come  to  harm 
you,  but  to  warn  you  that  your  enemies' 
ground  is  an  ill  place  for  you  to  rest  upon. 
Come  with  me,  and  1  will  show  you  a  safer 
place  to  sleep  in,  and  one  where  you  can  be 
healed  of  your  wounds." 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  117 

The  Druid,  for  such  he  was,  conducted 
Diarmuid  a  long  distance  through  the  country 
until  at  last  they  came  to  a  high  castle  sur- 
rounded by  woods,  and  tended  him  so  well 
that  at  the  end  of  three  days  he  was  completely 
healed.  Diarmuid  then  inquired  what  country 
he  had  come  to,  and  who  was  the  head  of  it. 
The  man  replied : 

"  This  is  Tir-fa-tonn — the  Land  under  the 
Waves — and  he  whom  you  fought  with  is  its 
king,  and  an  ancient  enemy  of  mine ;  for  that 
reason,  also  because  from  your  manner  of  fight- 
ing I  knew  you  to  be  one  of  Fionn's  champions, 
1  determined  to  aid  you.  I  myself  was  with 
Fionn  for  a  year  long  ago,  and  a  better  master 
and  a  nobler  man  than  he  never  lived.  Now 
tell  me  what  brought  you  here  ? " 

Diarmuid  then  related  to  the  Druid  the 
story  of  the  Gilla  Decair  and  the  Fians,  and 
of  the  search  that  was  being  made  for  them. 

II 

In  the  meantime  Fionn  had  grown  very 
uneasy  at  the  prolonged  absence  of  Diarmuid. 


118      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

At  last  he  told  his  men  to  cut  down  the  masts 
of  the  ship  and  make  ladders  from  them  and 
the  ropes  of  the  sails,  and  with  the  aid  of  the 
ladders  they  climbed  the  precipitous  cliff. 
When  the  Fians  came  to  the  edge  of  the  wood 
they  knew  that  Diarmuid  had  been  there,  for 
they  saw  the  bed  of  green  leaves  he  had  made 
for  himself,  but  beyond  that  they  found  no 
trace  of  him. 

Presently,  as  Fionn  was  looking  over  the 
plain,  considering  what  next  he  should  do, 
he  heard  the  muffled  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs 
beating  on  the  grass,  and  soon  a  horseman 
came  into  sight ;  when  he  drew  near  to  Fionn 
they  welcomed  each  other,  and  the  man 
invited  Fionn  and  his  warriors  to  his  dun, 
offering  them  hospitality  for  as  long  as  they 
would  stay. 

That  evening,  when  supper  was  over,  Fionn 
said  to  his  host : 

"Tell  me  now  what  country  this  is,  and 
who  is  its  king?" 

"This  is  the  country  called  Sorcha,  and 
I  am  its  king.  But,  alas  !  a  foreign  ruler  has 
cast  a  covetous  eye  upon  my  little  kingdom, 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECA1R  119 

and  I  hear  that  he  has  set  forth  with  a  great 
number  of  warriors  to  conquer  my  small  army." 

Just  then  a  messenger  came  hastily  to  the 
king,  saying : 

"  O  King,  the  sea  is  covered  with  ships 
as  thickly  as  the  grass  is  flecked  with  blown 
apple  blossoms  in  spring-time,  and  armed  men 
are  ravaging  the  country-side  and  plundering 
the  people." 

The  King  of  Sorcha  sighed,  and  said  de- 
spondently : 

"  How  can  I  hope  to  withstand  this  invader  ? 
Almost  every  country  in  the  world  is  under 
tribute  to  him,  and  I  fear  that  my  small  king- 
dom too  must  fall." 

Fionn  laughed  in  a  cheerful  manner,  and 
said : 

"  Have  no  fear,  king.  When  I  was  a  boy 
I  vowed  that  wherever  I  found  an  oppressed 
people,  or  one  unjustly  treated,  I  would  fight 
for  them,  and  never  yet  have  I  broken  my 
word.  I  will  hold  your  country  for  you  as 
long  as  I  am  here."  Then  he  turned  to  his 
little  band  of  Fians :  "  Are  you  willing  to 
fight  on  behalf  of  this  king  ? " 


120      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Their  eyes  gleamed,  and  they  shouted  with 
joy  at  thought  of  the  coming  battle  ;  they 
would  follow  their  chief  gladly,  even  though 
he  led  them  to  death. 

The  next  morning  the  Fians,  and  the  King 
of  Sorcha  with  his  army,  sought  the  invaders, 
and  on  the  wide  open  plain  gave  them  battle. 
That  day  the  Fians  were  like  destroying 
eagles  among  a  flock  of  delicate  lambs,  and  by 
sunset  the  destruction  of  the  foreigners  was 
so  great  that  only  a  few  escaped  to  tell  their 
king  they  were  defeated. 

"  But  who  are  these  fighters  ? "  asked  the 
foreign  king  angrily.  "Never  before  have 
I  heard  of  the  valiant  deeds  of  these  Irishmen 
— no,  not  even  in  tradition — nor  do  I  believe 
it  now.  Buckle  on  my  armour,  for  I  will  go 
against  them  myself,  and  destroy  them  so  that 
there  shah1  not  be  one  left." 

When  this  speech  came  to  Fionn's  ears  he 
laughed,  though  he  was  very  angry,  and  gather- 
ing his  Fians  together  he  made  a  terrible 
onslaught  on  his  enemies,  driving  all  that  were 
left  alive  to  the  shore,  where  they  hurriedly 
embarked  on  their  ships  and  sailed  away  :  nor 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  121 

did  they  ever  seek  to  wage  war  on  the  King  of 
Sorcha  again. 

After  the  battle  was  over  Fionn  said  to 
the  king : 

"  I  have  helped  you  against  your  enemies, 
now  I  must  depart  on  my  own  affairs,  for 
the  Fians  would  cry  shame  on  me  did  I  not 
continue  my  search  for  their  comrades." 

The  king  inquired  whom  Fionn  was  search- 
ing for,  and  on  hearing  the  tale  of  the  Gilla 
Decair  and  of  Diarmuid's  long  absence,  said  : 

"Delay  your  departure  a  little  while,  O 
Fionn,  for  to-morrow  a  great  feast  will  take 
place,  and  all  my  people  will  gather  to  thank 
you  for  your  help,  and  give  you  homage. 
When  that  is  over,  I  and  my  men  will  help 
you  in  your  search  for  Diarmuid,  nor  will  I 
leave  you  till  he  is  found." 

So  Fionn  waited,  and  on  the  morrow,  as 
they  were  all  feasting  outside  the  dun,  a  great 
company  of  warriors,  armed  with  keen  battle- 
swords  and  tall  sharp  spears,  came  marching 
across  the  plain,  and  Fionn  gave  a  shout  of 
welcome  when  he  saw  that,  foremost  of  all, 
walked  Diarmuid  with  a  Druid  by  his  side. 


122      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  You  have  come  at  the  right  time,  Diar- 
muid,"  said  Fionn  ;  "  in  another  few  hours  we 
should  all  have  been  searching  for  you.  But 
who  are  the  people  with  you,  and  tell  me  have 
you  any  news  of  your  comrades  ?  " 

"  I  have  news,  O  chief,  and  it  was  told  me 
by  this  Druid,  who  by  his  magic  art  has  dis- 
covered where  the  Fians  are.  The  man  who 
carried  them  off — he  who  called  himself  the 
Gilla  Decair — is  Abartach,  a  prince  in  the 
Land  of  Promise  ;  and  how  you  will  get  them 
away  from  that  country  I  do  not  know,"  said 
Diarmuid. 

Fionn  sat  still,  pondering  what  course  to 
pursue  now,  then  suddenly  he  rose  up  from 
the  banquet,  and  went  to  a  lonely  place  in  a 
wood  near  by,  where  in  secrecy  and  with  words 
of  power  he  invoked  the  aid  of  Manannan, 
supreme  lord  of  the  Hidden  Lands  in  the 
western  sea.  When  he  had  ended  his  invo- 
cation he  heard  a  sound  like  the  rumbling  of 
sea-waves  in  hollow  places,  and  a  shimmering 
many-coloured  mist  gathered  about  him  ;  then 
in  the  midst  of  this  mist  the  sea-god,  covered 
with  a  blue  mantle,  in  which  glittered  a  myriad 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  123 

star-like  lights,  appeared  and  promised  his  aid 
to  Fionn. 

When  the  morning  dawned  Fionn  and  his 
warriors  bade  farewell  to  the  King  of  Sorcha, 
who  gave  them  many  rare  and  precious  gifts 
in  token  of  his  friendship  and  gratitude,  and 
set  forth  for  the  sea-coast.  As  they  approached 
the  sea  they  saw  a  wonderful  ship  with  a 
shining  white  hull  and  sails  of  gold,  rocking 
gently  to  and  fro  on  the  sunlit  waves.  In  all 
the  world  there  was  no  other  ship  like  it ;  for 
this  was  the  Ocean-Sweeper  of  Manannan,  the 
magic  ship  which  needed  no  hand  to  guide  it, 
but  of  its  own  accord  sought  and  found  the 
desired  haven,  and  was  not  hindered  by  any 
tempest  or  storm-tossed  sea. 

The  Fians  boarded  the  ship,  and  just  as  a 
swallow  spreads  its  wings  and  sweeps  through 
the  air,  so  the  golden  sails  unfurled  and  the 
ship  skimmed  over  the  water.  Then,  when  the 
sun  had  set,  and  the  blue  shadows  of  twilight 
were  falling,  the  ship  slackened  speed ;  and  it 
seemed  to  the  Fians  that,  as  they  looked  before 
them,  a  beautiful  island  rose  out  of  the  sea 
almost  under  the  ship's  prow.  Silently  they 


124      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

disembarked,  and  stood  looking  around  them 
in  wonder,  for  even  in  their  dreams  they  had 
never  beheld  such  an  enchanted  land  as  this. 
A  golden  light  was  over  everything,  and  faery 
towers  and  palaces  of  crystal  brightness  lifted 
themselves  above  the  groves  of  flowering  trees 
which  surrounded  them.  The  spreading  green 
lawns  were  covered  with  flowers,  which  shone 
like  amethysts  and  sapphires  and  all  manner 
of  precious  stones  ;  and  sweet  singing -birds 
flew  about,  fearlessly  perching  on  the  heroes' 
shoulders  or  hands  as  they  stood  there — for 
this  was  the  Land  of  Promise,  the  land  of 
everlasting  youth,  where  death  and  sorrow  and 
evil  were  unknown. 

After  a  time  Fionn  and  his  men  began  to 
walk  towards  a  house  showing  between  the 
trees,  but  at  that  moment  a  tall,  handsome 
man,  with  long  fair  hair  falling  over  his 
shoulders,  and  wearing  a  cloak  of  purple  silk, 
fastened  at  the  shoulder  with  a  gold  brooch, 
came  towards  them.  He  was  followed  by  a 
number  of  warriors  who,  when  they  saw 
Fionn  and  his  heroes,  shouted  with  joy ;  for 
these  were  the  Fians  who  had  been  carried 


PURSUIT  OF  GILLA  DECAIR  125 

away  on  the  demon  horse,  and  often  they  had 
feared  they  would  never  see  their  country 
or  their  friends  again. 

"  I  bring  you  your  men,  Fionn,"  said  the 
man,  "and  of  them  all  there  isn't  a  man  I 
wouldn't  like  for  my  own,  except  Conan 
mac  Morna,  who  night  and  day  unceasingly 
abuses  and  reviles  every  one  near  him.  And 
sorry  I  am,  Fionn,  that  a  gentle  and  generous 
man  like  you  should  have  such  a  scurrilous 
and  loud-voiced  person  as  that  son  of  Morna 
in  your  Fianna,  for  his  tongue  is  like  the 
clapper  of  a  bell  that  is  constantly  blown  by 
the  wind." 

The  Fians  laughed,  and  Fionn  looked 
intently  at  the  speaker,  but  failed  to  recognise 
him.  Then  he  said  : 

"  Tell  me  now  who  you  are,  for  surely  if 
I  had  met  you  before  I  should  remember  that 
meeting  ? " 

Before  the  stranger  could  speak  Conan 
said,  scornfully : 

"  He  was  the  Gilla  Decair  once,  and  well 
was  he  named  that.  Now  he  calls  himself  the 
Prince  Abartach.  Prince  indeed !  In  that 


126       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

long  lanky  body  of  his  he  hasn't  the  soul  or 
the  wit  of  a  fly,  and  truly  I  shall  be  glad 
to  get  away  from  him  ;  for  bad  as  you  are, 
Fionn,  he  is  worse,  and  little  of  generosity 
or  princeliness  is  there  in  his  nature." 

"  If  you  are  the  Gilla  Decair,"  said  Fionn, 
"  you  must  make  amends  to  me  for  the  trouble 
I  have  had  in  searching  for  my  Fians." 

"  Whatever  trouble  you  have  had,  Fionn," 
said  Abartach,  "is  nothing  compared  to  the 
annoyance  I  have  undergone  at  the  tongue  of 
that  man  Conan."  Then,  as  Conan  began  to 
abuse  him  again,  he  continued  :  "  Take  him 
away  quickly,  I  implore  you,  for  I  am  weary 
of  the  sound  of  his  voice." 

Even  as  he  spoke  the  last  word  he  dis- 
appeared, and  whether  he  went  up  into  the 
air,  or  down  into  the  ground,  neither  Fionn 
nor  his  Fians  ever  knew,  for  they  never  saw 
him  again. 

Then  the  Ocean-Sweeper  carried  them  back 
to  their  own  country,  and  this  is  how  the 
pursuit  of  the  Gilla  Decair  ended,  and  how 
Fionn  recovered  his  men  from  the  Land  of 
Promise. 


THE  FAERY  WOMAN 

FIONN  had  two  wise  and  swift  hounds,  called 
Bran  and  Sgeolan,  that  he  loved  beyond  all 
else,  and  this  is  how  he  gained  possession  of 
them. 

One  summer  when  he  was  at  his  dun  on 
the  Hill  of  Allen,  his  mother  Muireen,  ac- 
companied by  her  young  and  beautiful  sister 
Tuirenn,  came  to  visit  them.  At  this  time 
some  captains  of  the  Ulster  Fianna  were  also 
visiting  Fionn,  and  among  them  was  one  named 
Ulan  Echta.  Ulan  thought  that  never  before 
had  he  seen  any  one  so  fair  as  Tuirenn,  with 
her  eyes  blue  as  the  speedwell,  and  hair  the 
colour  of  ripe  corn,  and  before  all  things  in 
the  world  he  loved  her  and  wished  to  marry 
her,  so  that  she  might  be  always  with  him. 
After  some  days  he  went  to  Fionn,  and  said 
to  him : 

127 


128       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  Soon,  O  Fionn,  I  must  return  to  Ulster, 
and  before  I  go  I  would  ask  you  to  give  me 
Tuirenn  in  marriage,  for  I  love  her,  and  desire 
above  all  things  to  take  her  back  with  me  to 
my  home." 

Fionn,  as  head  of  his  clan,  had  power  to 
bestow  or  withhold  his  consent  in  such  matters, 
so  he  said  to  Ulan  : 

"Do  you  know  that  Tuirenn  belongs  to 
the  folk  of  the  Sidhe,  and  I  can  only  give 
her  to  you  on  certain  conditions — namely, 
that  she  shall  be  restored  safely  to  me  when- 
ever I  may  send  for  her,  and  that  you  shall 
go  surety  for  her  safety  ? " 

"Do  you  think  she  will  not  be  safe  with 
me  ?  "  inquired  Ulan  indignantly.  "  Yet,  be- 
cause she  is  dearer  to  me  than  everything 
I  possess,  I  will  willingly  agree  to  your  con- 
ditions." Then,  with  an  anxious  note  in  his 
voice,  he  asked :  "  Have  you  any  reason  to 
think  that  through  me,  or  any  of  my  kinsfolk, 
harm  will  come  to  Tuirenn  ? " 

"  I  have  heard  that  Uchtdealb,  who  is  also 
a  woman  of  the  Sidhe,  has  given  you  her 
love,"  Fionn  answered,  "  and  perhaps  through 


THE  FAERY  WOMAN          129 

her  jealousy  some  harmful  thing  may  happen 
to  Tuirenn." 

"  Do  not  fear  for  Tuirenn ;  I  will  always 
guard  her  with  the  greatest  care  and  love, 
remembering  that  if  anything  evil  happens 
to  her  my  life  will  be  forfeit  to  you,"  said 
Ulan  boldly ;  yet  secretly  he  felt  some  mis- 
givings when  he  thought  of  Uchtdealb,  for 
she  belonged  to  the  faery  race,  and,  if  she 
chose,  had  power  for  either  good  or  evil  over 
human  life. 

On  that  understanding  Fionn  gave  Tuirenn 
to  Ulan,  though  he  would  not  let  her  ac- 
company her  husband  when  he  returned 
to  Ulster,  but  arranged  to  send  her  after- 
wards with  a  guard  of  his  most  trusted  Fian 
chiefs. 

A  little  time  elapsed  after  the  departure 
of  Ulan,  then  Fionn  called  -his  son  Oisin,  and 
Caeilte  and  Goll  mac  Morna,  and  gave  them 
orders  to  take  Tuirenn  to  her  husband's  home. 
They  found  Ulan  anxiously  watching  for  them, 
but  before  Goll  gave  Tuirenn  into  his  hands 
he  reminded  Illan  of  the  conditions  Fionn  had 
imposed  on  him,  and  Illan  swore  by  the  sun 

K 


130      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

and  the  wind  that  he  would  guard  her  as  his 
greatest  treasure. 

Autumn  and  winter  passed,  and  the  green 
spring-time  was  over  everything.  In  every 
wood  and  coppice  the  songs  of  blackbirds  and 
thrushes  were  heard,  and  all  the  little  creatures 
of  air  and  earth  rejoiced  in  the  sunlight  and 
warm  breezes.  Tuirenn,  too,  sang  as  she  sat 
in  the  wide  sunny  window  of  her  room,  stitch- 
ing at  her  embroidery,  and  looking  sometimes 
over  the  plain  before  her. 

She  was  alone  with  her  maids  just  now, 
for  a  few  days  before  Illan  had  received  a 
message  calling  him  away ;  but  any  hour  now 
he  might  return.  Very  reluctantly  he  had 
left  Tuirenn,  for  in  his  heart  of  hearts  he 
feared  that  Uchtdealb,  the  faery  woman  who 
loved  him,  would  at  some  time  or  other  put 
an  enchantment  on  the  woman  he  loved  and 
had  made  his  wife ;  so  before  leaving  he 
charged  her  maids  to  watch  her  well,  and 
allow  no  stranger  near  her. 

A  shadow  fell  across  Tuirenn's  work,  and 
looking  up  she  saw,  standing  by  her  side,  a 
tall  fair  girl,  with  a  strange  look  in  her  eyes 


THE  FAERY  WOMAN          131 

which,  to  Tuirenn,  seemed  to  betoken  some 
hidden  enmity.  Tuirenn  looked  at  her  closely, 
wondering  who  she  could  be  ;  then  she  glanced 
at  her  maids,  but  they  seemed  unconscious  of 
the  stranger's  presence  among  them,  and  did 
not  even  hear  her  when  she  spoke. 

"  Fair  princess,"  said  the  girl,  "  1  am  a 
messenger  from  Fionn,  who  sends  you  greet- 
ings, and  desires  to  speak  with  you  in  the 
wood  yonder.  Come  with  me  and  I  will  lead 
you  to  him." 

Tuirenn  wondered  as  she  listened  to  the 
girl.  It  was  not  like  Fionn  to  send  such  a 
message,  but  she  thought  that  perhaps,  for 
reasons  unknown  to  her,  he  could  not  come 
to  the  house.  She  followed  the  girl  from  the 
room,  and  her  women  looked  up  as  she  passed, 
but  still  did  not  see  the  stranger. 

When  they  came  to  the  edge  of  the  wood 
Tuirenn  said : 

"I  do  not  remember  having  seen  you  before. 
What  is  your  name,  and  do  you  belong  to 
the  Clan  Basna  ? " 

The  girl  looked  at  Tuirenn,  and  there  was 
a  wicked  light  in  her  eyes  as  she  answered  : 


132      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  Have  you  not  heard  of  me  ?  I  am 
Uchtdealb  the  Fair.  Ulan  was  my  husband 
before  he  was  yours,  but  when  he  saw  you 
he  put  me  away  from  him,  and  gave  you  my 
place.  All  these  months  I  have  been  plan- 
ning vengeance,  and  now  the  time  has  come 
to  take  it.  Shall  I  tell  you  what  it  is  ?  I  am 
going  to  put  a  spell  on  you,  and  change  you 
into  the  form  of  a  hound,  and  your  life  shall 
be  spent  in  chasing  wild  animals.  You  shall 
suffer,  too,  for  your  mind  I  will  not  change, 
and  your  thoughts  will  be  as  before — of  Ulan 
and  Fionn  and  all  your  lost  friends." 

Tuirenn  shrank  away  in  fear  from  the  girl ; 
then  she  thought  of  Fionn  and  his  heroes,  and 
her  courage  returned. 

"  If  you  do  this  thing  to  me,"  she  said, 
"Fionn  will  know,  and  will  be  revenged  on 
you,  even  though  he  has  to  hunt  through 
the  whole  world  to  find  you.  Remember 
that  through  his  mother  he  too  belongs 
to  the  faery  race,  and  has  power,  and  what- 
ever spell  you  place  on  me  he  will  surely 
make  you  remove.  So  I  have  no  fear  of 
you." 


THE  FAERY  WOMAN          133 

Uchtdealb  was  furious  with  Tuirenn  for 
speaking  in  such  a  fearless  manner,  and  could 
not  restrain  her  anger.  With  a  little  carved 
yew  stick  she  carried  in  her  hand  she  struck 
Tuirenn,  and  cried : 

"  Hound  you  shall  be,  and  hound  you  shall 
remain." 

Instantly  Tuirenn  was  transformed  into  a 
beautiful  white  hound,  with  black  markings 
on  her  sides  and  back,  and  soft  brown  eyes 
that  looked  up  piteously  in  Uchtdealb's  face. 
But  the  enchantress,  slipping  a  golden  collar 
on  her  neck,  held  her  in  leash,  and  in  that 
manner  led  her  to  the  house  of  a  man  named 
Fergus  Fionnlia.  Of  all  houses  it  was  the 
worst  to  take  her  to,  for  in  the  whole  of 
Ireland  there  was  not  another  man  like  Fergus, 
who  hated  dogs,  and  would  never  keep  one 
with  him. 

When  Uchtdealb  saw  him  she  said  : 

"At  last  Fionn  has  sent  you  one  of  his 
hounds  to  mind,  Fergus  Fionnlia.  And  he 
charges  you  to  maintain  her  well,  and  not  let 
her  scour  the  whole  country  hunting  game  for 
your  pot." 


134      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Fergus  was  very  angry  when  he  heard  this 
message. 

"Doesn't  Fionn  know  very  well  that  the 
one  thing  in  this  world  I  dislike  more  than 
another  is  a  dog  ? "  he  said.  "  I  am  surprised 
that  he  should  send  one  to  me.  However,  as 
he  has  never  quartered  any  on  me  before  I 
will  take  care  of  her,  and  guard  her  as  well 
as  I  can." 

Uchtdealb  departed,  thinking  that  poor 
enchanted  Tuirenn  would  not  have  much  com- 
fort or  happiness  with  Fergus.  But  Fergus 
grew  to  love  the  hound  very  much ;  she  was 
so  swift  that  no  animal,  however  fleet  it  was, 
escaped  her  when  she  went  hunting,  and  her 
intelligence  was  so  great  that  Fergus  was 
often  astonished  at  the  manner  in  which  she 
seemed  to  understand  every  word  he  uttered. 

The  weeks  passed  by,  and  when  the  hound 
had  been  with  Fergus  for  about  two  months 
she  gave  birth  to  two  puppies ;  little  white 
and  black  things,  that  rolled  and  tumbled  over 
each  other  in  a  quaint,  helpless  manner,  which 
Fergus  was  never  tired  of  watching. 

In  the  meantime  it  came  to  Fionn's  know- 


THE  ENCHANTRESS,  SLIPPING  A  GOLDEN  COLLAR  ON  HER  NECK, 
HELD  HER  IN  LEASH 


THE  FAERY  WOMAN          135 

ledge  that  Tuirenn  was  not  with  Illan,  and  no 
one  knew  what  had  become  of  her.  So  Fionn 
sent  a  swift  messenger  to  Illan,  bidding  him 
come  to  the  Hill  of  Allen  at  once. 

"  Where  is  Tuirenn,  your  wife  ? "  asked 
Fionn  sternly  when  Illan  arrived. 

"  She  has  disappeared,"  answered  Illan, 
"and  no  man  or  woman  of  my  house  knows 
where  she  has  gone." 

"You  have  not  guarded  her  as  you 
promised  to  do,"  said  Fionn.  "You  must 
search  for  her,  and  when  she  is  found  bring 
her  immediately  to  me ;  she  shall  not  return 
to  your  house  again.  If  she  is  not  discovered 
within  a  week  you  will  lose  your  life." 

"  Give  me  more  time,"  Illan  pleaded. 
"Already  my  trackers  have  been  up  and 
down  through  Ireland,  and  have  found  no 
trace  of  her,  but  I  will  try  other  means  now." 

He  went  from  Fionn  and  journeyed  north- 
ward to  the  house  of  the  Sidhe  where 
Uchtdealb  lived,  on  the  borders  of  Ulster. 

"Tuirenn  has  gone  from  me,  and  Fionn 
has  demanded  her  back,"  Illan  said  to  the 
faery  woman,  "and  unless  you  can  help  me 


136       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

by  your  art,  and  tell  me  where  she  is  hidden, 
my  head  will  not  be  on  my  shoulders  much 
longer." 

"I  can  help  you,"  said  Uchtdealb,  "but  I 
wish  you  to  make  me  a  promise  first" 

"  I  will  promise  anything,"  said  Ulan,  after 
a  moment's  hesitation,  "  if  you  will  help  me  to 
find  Tuirenn.  What  is  it  you  wish  ? " 

"  Well,"  said  the  woman  of  the  Sidhe,  "  I 
will  take  you  to  Tuirenn  on  condition  that 
you  make  me  your  wife  again  when  she  has 
returned  to  the  Clan  Basna." 

"  I  give  you  my  promise  I  will,"  Ulan 
answered.  "  Now  take  me  straightway  to 
Tuirenn." 

Uchtdealb  conducted  Ulan  to  the  house 
where  Fergus  lived,  and  said  that  Fionn  had 
sent  for  the  hound  she  had  left  with  him. 
Very  unwillingly  Fergus  brought  both  the 
hound  and  her  puppies ;  he  had  become  so 
attached  to  them  that  he  would  have  liked 
to  keep  them  always. 

Then  Uchtdealb  spoke  to  the  hound,  saying  : 

"For  the  sake  of  Ulan,  whom  I  love,  I 
forgo  my  vengeance  on  you,  and  I  bid  you 


THE  FAERY  WOMAN          137 

resume  your  form.  But  over  your  children 
I  have  no  power,  and  they  will  always  remain 
hounds." 

She  touched  the  enchanted  animal  with  her 
little  yew  rod ;  and  immediately  it  changed 
into  Tuirenn,  to  the  unbounded  amazement 
of  Fergus  and  Ulan.  But  Ulan  was  very  glad 
that  Tuirenn  was  found,  for  now  his  life  would 
not  be  forfeit  to  Fionn ;  and  the  next  day  he 
took  her  and  the  puppies  to  Fionn,  and  told 
him  how  they  were  born  while  their  mother 
was  under  an  enchantment. 

Great  anger  came  on  Fionn  as  he  listened. 

"  Were  it  not  for  my  word  that  you  should 
go  safely  when  Tuirenn  was  found,  I  would 
kill  you  where  you  stand,"  he  said  ;  "  but  from 
henceforth,  until  the  day  of  your  death,  there 
shall  be  enmity  between  your  house  and  mine. 
Go  now,  and  remember  that  it  will  be  an  evil 
day  for  you  should  we  ever  stand  opposed 
to  each  other  on  the  battlefield." 

Ulan  was  glad  to  go,  for  no  one  cared  to 
face  Fionn's  terrible  wrath.  I  think  that 
Fionn  killed  Ulan  in  after  years,  for  though 
he  might  forgive  a  wrong  to  himself,  he 


138      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

would   certainly   not    forgive   a  wrong   to   a 
woman. 

When  the  puppies  grew  up,  Bran  and 
Sgeolan,  as  Fionn  named  them,  proved  to  be 
the  wisest  and  swiftest  of  all  the  hounds  of 
the  Fianna,  and  two  of  the  greatest  treasures 
Fionn  ever  possessed.  His  third  great  treasure 
was  Cnu  Deireoil,  the  faery  musician  who 
came  to  him  at  Slieve-na-man. 


THE   ENCHANTED   CAVE 

CONARAN  MAC  iMiDEL,  one  of  the  Tuatha  de 
Danann  chiefs,  was  lord  of  Keshcorran  in  the 
north  at  the  time  when  Fionn,  with  a  great 
number  of  his  Fians,  went  up  there  to  hunt. 
It  did  not  please  Conaran  that  Fionn  should 
hunt  over  his  country  then ;  so  he  called  his 
three  daughters,  who  were  skilled  in  every 
kind  of  sorcery  and  witchcraft,  and  could 
assume  any  form  they  chose,  and  said  to 
them : 

"  Weave  spells  over  Fionn  and  his  men 
that  will  hold  them  in  bondage,  for  I  do  not 
want  them  roaming  and  hunting  through  all 
my  country  at  this  time." 

The  daughters  of  Conaran  talked  together, 
then  the  eldest  of  them,  who  was  called  larran, 
said  to  her  father : 

"  It  shall  be  done  ;  but  do  you  go  to  the 

139 


140      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

crooked  holly-tree  and  bring  us  three  forked 
sticks  from  it.  We  will  place  a  spell  on  the 
Fians  from  which  they  shall  never  recover." 

Conaran  brought  the  holly-sticks  to  his 
daughters,  and  they,  taking  three  bundles  of 
yarn  and  the  forked  twigs,  sought  the  cave  that 
penetrates  far  into  the  mound  of  Keshcorran. 
They  seated  themselves  just  inside  it,  and 
planting  their  sticks  firmly  in  the  sandy  floor, 
stretched  the  wool  on  them,  and  began  to  wind 
and  twist  it  into  ropes. 

Now  Fionn  was  sitting  on  the  hill-top, 
with  only  his  two  dogs,  Bran  and  Sgeolan, 
and  Conan  mac  Morna  to  keep  him  company. 
When  the  hounds  heard  the  other  dogs  bark- 
ing as  they  followed  the  chase  through  the 
woods  below,  they  strained  at  their  leash,  and 
whined  to  get  away  also.  Fionn  set  them 
free,  and  watched  them  racing  down  the  hill- 
side, and  after  a  time  he  and  Conan  followed 
them. 

When  they  had  walked  a  little  distance  a 
faint  sound  of  singing  fell  on  their  ears,  and 
they  stopped  to  listen  : 


THE  ENCHANTED  CAVE      141 

In  the  Dun  of  Darkness 
With  soft  wool  we  weave 
Chains  for  the  heroes. 
Death  and  Despair 
In  the  threads  are  woven. 
Stronger  than  white  bronze 
Is  the  thread  from  the  fleeces 
Of  the  flocks  of  Darkness. 

Fionn  and  Conan  looked  at  each  other. 
"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Fionn,  "  that  this  is 
a  matter  touching  us.  We  will  see  who  are 
the  singers  of  that  little  song." 

"It's  a  song  that  is  not  to  my  liking,"  said 
Conan,  "  and  I  think  I  will  stop  where  I  am." 

"  Never  yet,"  Fionn  said,  "  has  any  one  of 
the  Fianna  lacked  courage  in  any  adventure, 
and  surely  it  shall  not  be  said  that  Conan  mac 
Morna  showed  fear  because  of  a  song  he  heard 
sung ! " 

"By  my  spear,  it  shall  not,"  Conan  replied, 
and  his  face  flushed  redly.  "  Let  us  go  now," 
and  he  walked  onward. 

As  they  rounded  a  huge  ledge  of  rock  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  cave,  and  saw  three 
maidens  sitting  at  the  entrance.  Young  and 
fair  they  seemed  to  be,  but  when  Fionn  looked 


142       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

at  them  more  closely  he  observed  that  their 
eyes  had  a  strange  red  glare  in  them,  like  the 
eyes  of  an  animal  when  it  is  waiting  to  pounce 
on  its  prey. 

"I  think  there  is  something  evil  about 
them,"  said  Fionn,  "though  they  look  fair 
and  gentle.  Perhaps  it  will  be  wiser  for  us 
not  to  go  nearer." 

"  Surely  such  a  great  hero  as  Fionn  mac 
Cumall  does  not  fear  three  gentle  maidens  ? " 
taunted  Conan,  and  laughed  loudly. 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  the  greatest  champion  on 
earth,  so  why  should  I  fear  women  ? "  answered 
Fionn.  "  But  there  are  powers  belonging  to 
an  unseen  world  which  even  the  most  courage- 
ous man  may  fear,  without  having  his  courage 
questioned,  and  a  presentiment  that  such 
powers  are  near  is  on  me  now.  However, 
we  will  speak  to  these  girls,"  and  he  walked 
up  to  the  mouth  of  the  cave  and  stood  before 
them. 

"What  are  you  doing,"  he  asked,  "and 
why  do  you  sing  such  a  weird  song  as  you 
work  ? " 

"  We  are  making  a  rope  to  amuse  ourselves 


THE  ENCHANTED  CAVE      143 

with,"  answered  larran,  "and  while  we  work 
we  sing  the  thoughts  that  enter  our  minds. 
But  will  you  not  come  into  the  cave  and 
talk  to  us  for  a  time  ?  Our  father,  Conaran 
mac  Imidel,  is  away,  and  during  his  absence 
we  are  lonely." 

Fionn  hesitated — he  remembered  the  song 
he  had  heard  them  sing ;  then  he  thought  how 
foolish  it  was  to  imagine  that  these  girls  could 
work  harm  to  him  or  his  Fians,  so  he  and 
Conan  stepped  over  the  rope,  which  was 
woven  from  one  side  of  the  cave's  mouth  to 
the  other.  No  sooner  were  they  inside  the 
cave  than  a  trembling  came  over  all  their 
limbs,  and  the  strength  left  their  bodies. 
Then,  before  their  eyes,  the  maidens  trans- 
formed themselves  into  terrible,  fierce-looking 
hags,  more  deformed  and  ugly  than  any  one 
the  Fians  had  ever  seen  before.  They  seized 
the  heroes,  and  bound  them  fast  with  a  portion 
of  the  enchanted  woollen  rope,  then  threw 
them  into  a  corner  of  the  cave,  scoffing  at  them 
as  they  lay  there  helpless. 

When  the  hags  returned  to  the  entrance, 
Conan  began  to  taunt  and  revile  Fionn. 


144       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  Is  it  not  enough  for  you,  O  Fionn,"  he 
said,  "that  you  have  put  my  life  in  danger 
many  times  before  ?  And  now  you  have  done 
it  again.  Though  the  poets  sing  of  you  as 
a  doer  of  great  deeds,  and  say  you  know  what 
has  happened  in  the  past  and  will  happen  in 
the  future,  I  think  they  lie,  for  surely  one 
who  had  so  much  wisdom  would  not  get 
into  the  trouble  you  do.  But  if  you'll  take 
off  these  old  witches'  enchanted  bonds,  and  let 
me  escape  from  them,  I  shall  believe  there  is 
some  truth  in  what  the  bards  say  about  you." 

"  Be  silent,  Conan,"  said  Fionn,  "  and  if 
your  last  hour  is  near,  as  possibly  it  is,  do 
not  spend  it  in  reviling,  but  in  thinking  noble 
thoughts,  as  befits  one  of  the  Fianna  Eireann. 
Why  struggle  against  Fate,  or  rebel  because 
Death  draws  near  ?  When  this  life  is  over  we 
shall  go  to  the  Happy  Isles,  where  the  Ever- 
Living  Ones  dwell,  and  where  only  the  noble 
and  wise  have  place." 

Conan  continued  muttering  to  himself,  but 
Fionn,  wrapped  in  his  own  thoughts,  paid  no 
heed  to  him. 

It  was  not  long  till  some  of  the  Fians  came 


THEY  SEIZED  THE  HEROES  AND  BOUND  THEM  FAST 


THE  ENCHANTED  CAVE       145 

up  the  hillside  looking  for  their  chief.  When 
they  saw  the  dreadful-looking  hags  inside  the 
cave  they  stopped,  and  viewed  them  with 
astonishment ;  then  they  caught  sight  of 
Fionn  and  Conan,  bound  and  powerless,  and 
wild  with  indignation  and  anger  stepped  over 
the  barrier  to  free  them.  But  helplessness  fell 
on  them  too,  and  though  they  struggled  with 
what  remnant  of  strength  they  still  possessed, 
the  witches  easily  overcame  them. 

The  day  passed  on,  and  one  group  after 
another  of  the  Fians  came  up  the  hillside,  and 
seeing  the  plight  their  comrades  were  in 
attempted  to  rescue  them ;  but  the  same  fate 
befell  them  as  the  others.  At  last,  late  in  the 
afternoon,  Oscur  and  Caeilte'  and  mac  Lugach, 
with  a  great  number  of  the  Clan  Basna  and 
Clan  Morna,  attracted  by  the  baying  of  hounds 
at  the  cave  mouth  —  for  they  would  not 
follow  their  masters  into  the  cave — ascended 
the  hill  to  see  what  was  happening.  They 
too  were  overcome  by  the  magic  spells  the 
demon  hags  had  woven  about  the  cave,  and 
were  easily  bound  and  thrown  into  dark  corners 
with  the  other  Fians. 

L 


146       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

The  witches  looked  at  each  other,  well 
satisfied  with  the  way  they  had  captured  the 
Fians,  whose  brave  deeds  and  unfailing  courage 
were  sung  all  over  the  country. 

"  I  think  we  have  them  all,"  said  larran  to 
her  sisters,  "and  now,  if  you  will  fetch  the 
two-edged  swords  from  the  dun,  we  will  kill 
them."  Then,  addressing  the  Fians  :  "  Great 
heroes  you  are  indeed,  to  be  so  easily  conquered 
by  three  women.  Among  you  all  there  is  not 
one  who  has  strength  to  lift  a  weapon,  nor 
will  you  ever  again  hunt  or  trespass  in  our 
province,  for  before  the  night  passes  there  will 
be  no  Fians  alive  in  the  land  of  Imidel." 

The  sisters,  Caemog  and  Cullen  of  the  Red 
Hair,  returned  with  the  swords  to  larran,  but 
before  they  began  to  slay  the  heroes  they 
went  outside  the  cave,  and  looked  round  on 
every  side,  thinking  that  perhaps  some  of  the 
Fians  might  have  escaped  their  enchantments. 

They  were  on  the  point  of  returning  to 
perform  their  dreadful  work  when,  emerging 
from  the  wood  clothing  the  lower  slopes  of 
the  hillside,  they  observed  a  man  of  very  noble 
and  warlike  appearance  striding  towards  them. 


THE  ENCHANTED  CAVE       147 

The  setting  sun  shone  on  the  long  unsheathed 
sword  he  carried  in  his  hand,  and  by  the  device 
on  his  shield  the  witches  knew  that  he  who 
approached  them  was  Goll  mac  Morna,  one 
of  the  most  unconquerable  of  the  Fian  chiefs. 
As  he  came  near  to  them  they  raised  their 
swords  and  rushed  at  him,  uttering  horrid 
cries,  and  taken  unawares,  for  a  moment  he 
stood  in  danger  of  death.  But  he  soon  re- 
covered himself,  and  a  fierce  rage  rose  in  him  at 
the  discourteous  manner  in  which  the  wicked 
witches  had  attacked  him,  so  that  he  deter- 
mined to  kill  them  ;  and,  using  all  the  battle- 
skill  that  he  possessed,  with  one  mighty  stroke 
he  gave  Caemog  and  Cullen  their  death- wounds, 
larran,  seeing  that  her  sisters  were  dead, 
pretended  to  give  up  the  battle,  and  dropped 
her  sword  on  the  ground.  But  deceit  was  in 
her  heart,  and  the  first  time  that  Goll  mac 
Morna  turned  his  eyes  from  her  to  the  hideous 
beings  stretched  on  the  grass,  she  swiftly 
passed  to  his  back,  and  clasped  her  strong 
arms  about  him,  so  that  only  with  the  utmost 
difficulty  could  he  twist  himself  round  to  face 
her.  For  a  long  time  they  struggled  together, 


148      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

then,  as  Goll  felt  his  strength  failing  him,  he 
made  a  tremendous  effort,  and  throwing  the 
hag  to  the  ground  bound  her  feet  and  hands 
with  the  straps  of  his  shield.  So  great  was 
his  anger  at  her  treachery  that  he  would  have 
killed  her  instantly,  but  she  implored  him  to 
spare  her. 

"  O  warrior  that  never  yet  was  conquered, 
and  whose  courage  has  never  faltered  in  any 
battle,  surely  it  were  better  for  you  to  spare 
my  life,  and  in  return  I  will  liberate  the 
Fians  from  their  enchanted  bonds,  which  I 
only  am  able  to  do.  Release  me,  I  pray  you, 
and  by  all  the  gods  I  worship  I  swear  that 
what  I  have  promised  I  will  perform." 

Goll  mac  Morna  released  her  and  said  : 

"  For  the  present  your  life  is  safe  from  me  ; 
but  if  you  do  not  fulfil  your  promise  to  the 
uttermost,  I  vow  you  shall  be  tied  to  a  stake 
and  burnt  to  ashes.  Come  now  to  the  Fianna, 
and  loose  them  from  the  wicked  enchantment 
you  have  placed  on  them." 

Together  they  walked  to  the  cave,  and 
going  over  to  the  Fians  the  witch  waved  her 
hands  and  chanted  over  them  : 


THE  ENCHANTED  CAVE       149 

Back  to  your  underworld,  all  my  demon  helpers, 
Fly  to  your  caverns  where  no  sunlight  falls : 
Hither  comes  a  warrior  born  of  the  Immortals, 
Hurry  from  his  presence  to  your  moonless  halls. 

Loose  the  chains  that  bind  these  Fians  brave  and  noble, 
Loose  the  strong  enchantment  wrought  by  Fomor  art ; 
Hasten  now,  dark  spirits,  to  the  hidden  portal, 
All  our  wiles  availed  naught,  conquered  we  depart. 

There  was  a  strange  rustling  sound  in  the 
cave  as  she  chanted,  and  the  Fians  saw  a  host 
of  shadowy  beings — huge  and  monstrous,  and 
hideous  beyond  words — rise  up  from  about 
them  and  melt  and  disappear  into  the  darkness 
of  the  cave  beyond.  At  the  same  moment 
the  oppression  left  their  limbs,  and  when  they 
stood  up,  hardly  daring  to  believe  that  the 
witches'  enchantment  was  so  quickly  dispelled, 
they  found  that  all  their  strength  and  energy 
had  returned  to  them. 

At  supper  that  evening  the  Fians  made 
great  rejoicing,  while  the  Druids  and  poets  of 
the  Fianna  composed  and  sang  songs  of  praise 
in  honour  of  Goll  mac  Morna,  who  had 
delivered  them  when  they  were  in  a  more 
deadly  peril  than  had  ever  befallen  them 
before. 


THE   HOUSE   OF  THE   PHANTOMS 

MANY  strong  bands  of  sea-robbers  had  landed 
in  different  places  on  the  shores  of  Munster, 
and  were  plundering,  and  sometimes  slaying, 
the  inhabitants  of  the  villages  they  came  to. 
Eoghan,  the  King  of  Munster,  finding  that  his 
own  soldiers  were  unable  to  cope  successfully 
with  the  hardy  sea-pirates,  sent  an  urgent 
message  to  Fionn,  imploring  him  to  go  with 
some  of  his  Fians  and  drive  the  foreigners  out 
of  Munster. 

This  message  pleased  Fionn,  for  he  was 
never  happier  than  when  defending  his  country, 
or  putting  an  end  to  injustice  and  wrong. 
Without  delay  he  called  together  a  number  of 
his  warriors  and  started  off,  and  before  many 
days  had  passed  they  had  driven  the  marauders 
away.  When  the  fighting  was  all  over  the 

150 


HOUSE  OF  THE  PHANTOMS    151 

king  entertained  Fionn  and  his  men  with 
hunting  and  horse-racing,  and  the  evening  of 
each  day  closed  with  a  great  banquet.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  Fians'  visit  the  king 
gave  them  presents  of  gold  and  silver  cups, 
inset  with  precious  stones,  and  much  gold  and 
silver  too ;  but  to  Fionn  he  gave  a  stately 
black  horse,  with  bridle  and  head-piece  of 
golden  chain-work,  from  which  hung  little 
musical  golden  bells. 

"There  is  no  horse  in  Ireland  so  swift  as 
Black  Flame,"  said  the  king,  stroking  the 
proudly  arched  neck ;  "  indeed  in  the  whole 
world,  except  the  wave-stepping  steed  of 
Manannan,  there  is  none  to  surpass  him,  for 
he  is  descended  from  the  horses  of  the  Sidhe. 
I  prize  him  more  than  all  else  I  possess,  but 
because  of  the  service  you  have  rendered  me, 
O  Fionn,  I  would  not  give  you  less  than  the 
best  I  have." 

"  The  care  and  love  you  have  given  him  he 
shall  not  lack  from  me,"  said  Fionn  simply. 
"Will  you  come  with  me,  Black  Flame  ? "  he 
asked,  taking  the  bridle  in  his  hand,  and  the 
horse,  as  though  it  understood  Fionn's  words, 


152      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

looked  at  him  for  a  moment,  then  rested  its 
head  on  his  shoulder. 

But  Oisin  and  Caeilte,  who  were  very 
proud  of  their  own  horses,  that  were  swift  as 
the  wind  that  blew  from  the  Island  of  Youth 
and  swept  down  from  the  mountain  heights, 
doubted  whether  the  black  horse  would  prove 
himself  swifter  than  theirs.  So  Fionn  said  : 

"Come  now  with  me  to  the  sands  of 
Berramain  on  the  western  coast,  and  we  will 
race  our  horses  against  each  other,  and  decide 
which  is  the  best." 

The  Fians  went  quickly  through  the  woods 
and  plains  and  over  the  mountain  passes  till 
they  came  to  the  strand,  and  Black  Flame 
won  all  the  races  which  were  run,  and  at  the 
close  still  remained  untired.  Afterwards  the 
Fians  broke  up  into  small  parties  and  went 
hunting  in  different  directions.  But  Fionn 
and  Caeilte'  and  Oisin  proceeded  southwards, 
galloping  onwards  on  their  tireless  horses, 
until  they  were  many  miles  distant  from  their 
comrades.  Finally  they  reached  a  valley  near 
Loch  Lein,  dark  with  yew  trees  and  encircled 
by  high  mountains.  The  night  was  falling, 


HOUSE  OF  THE  PHANTOMS    153 

they  were  hungry  and  tired,  and  heavy  thunder- 
clouds began  to  gather  on  the  hill-tops,  while 
vivid  flashes  of  lightning  illumined  the  darken- 
ing valley  they  were  in. 

"We  should  seek  shelter,  father,"  said 
Oisin.  "Our  horses  are  tired  and  need  rest. 
For  my  part,  I  should  like  some  supper  and 
to  be  out  of  the  storm  when  it  breaks." 

Fionn  looked  round  him  and  said  : 

"  I  know  this  place  well,  and  we  shall  find 
no  shelter  here.  But  if  we  cross  the  hills  to 
the  south  we  shall  come  to  a  house,  and  the 
man  who  lives  in  it  will  give  a  hearty  welcome 
to  both  us  and  our  horses." 

As  Fionn  spoke  the  valley  was  filled  with 
light  for  a  moment,  and  Caeilte  exclaimed  : 

"  There  is  a  house  at  the  end  of  the  valley. 
I  saw  the  light  gleam  on  it  just  now.  It 
looks  a  poor  place,  but  the  owner  will  doubtless 
be  glad  to  give  shelter  and  food  to  the  great 
chief  of  the  Fianna.  Let  us  hurry,  for  our 
horses  do  not  like  the  crashes  of  thunder  or 
the  lightning  flashes." 

They  galloped  their  horses  across  the  glade 
to  the  house,  and  dismounting,  opened  the 


154      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

door  without  ceremony.  As  they  entered  the 
room — which  was  dimly  lit  by  a  single  torch 
and  appeared  to  be  empty — the  most  dreadful 
howls  and  screeches  seemed  to  rise  from  the 
floor  and  fill  every  corner.  Caeilte'  said  : 

"Surely  this  is  the  abode  of  demons.  Let 
us  go  hence.  It  will  be  no  new  thing  for  us 
to  sleep  under  the  shade  of  the  trees,  or  go 
supperless  to  our  rest." 

But  Fionn  turned  to  Caeilte  and  said : 

"The  Fians  never  yet  turned  their  backs 
on  demons  or  men,  and  not  now  will  they 
begin.  It  is  not  like  you,  son  of  Ronan,  to 
have  fear  because  of  a  few  little  howls." 

"  It  is  not  the  seen  I  fear  to  grapple  with, 
but  the  unseen,"  said  Caeilte'.  "  By  my  spear, 
here  is  something  visible  at  last." 

Both  he  and  Oisin  pointed  with  their  spears 
to  the  middle  of  the  floor,  and  Fionn  turned 
to  look.  There,  before  him,  stood  three 
figures :  one  a  tall  man,  with  tangled  grey 
hair  and  beard — the  ugliest  man  he  had  ever 
seen ;  and  by  his  side  stood  a  grim  old  woman 
with  three  heads,  and  each  of  the  heads  was 
yelling  most  horribly.  But  the  third  figure 


THERE  BEFORE  HIM  STOOD  THREE  FIGURES 


HOUSE  OF  THE  PHANTOMS    155 

was  more  appalling  than  the  other  two,  for  it 
was  the  body  of  a  man  without  a  head,  and 
in  the  middle  of  his  breast  a  single  eye  rolled 
and  turned  about,  and  shone  with  a  dull  green 
glare. 

Fionn,  however,  was  in  no  way  frightened 
by  these  dreadful  looking  beings,  and  inquired  : 

"  What  manner  of  people  are  you  who 
show  no  pleasure  when  the  chiefs  of  the  Fianna 
visit  you  ?  It  is  the  custom  of  the  houses 
throughout  Ireland  to  receive  us  with  songs 
of  greeting ;  with  tables  laden  with  venison 
and  the  flesh  of  the  wild  boar,  and  great  flow- 
ing bowls  of  ale.  But  you  have  only  howls 
and  wails  for  us,  and  an  empty  board." 

The  old  grey  man  laughed,  and  said,  as  he 
locked  and  barred  the  door  : 

"  It  is  not  sweet  songs  and  feastings  you 
will  get  here,  O  Fionn.  Many  a  day  we  have 
waited  for  you,  and  woven  enchantments  to 
get  you  in  our  power,  and  take  vengeance 
for  a  wrong  you,  though  perhaps  unknow- 
ingly, did  to  one  of  our  race.  But  I  re- 
member now  one  little  song  we  can  give 
you  before  you  die,  for  we  shall  certainly  kill 


156      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

you  and  your  companions  before  the  morning 
breaks."  He  stopped  for  a  moment,  and  then 
called  out :  "  Ho,  my  little  children  of  the 
underworld,  rise  from  your  dark  places  and 
give  greetings  to  the  kingly  heroes  of  the 
Fianna." 

The  torch  flickered  and  died  out,  but  the 
room  was  filled  with  strange  coloured  lights 
that  danced  and  moved  about  as  though  held 
by  invisible  hands  ;  and  by  the  aid  of  this  light 
the  astonished  Fians  beheld  nine  bodies  without 
heads  rise  up  through  the  floor  on  one  side  of 
the  cottage,  and  on  the  other  side  nine  heads 
without  bodies  appeared,  and  vague  shadowy 
forms  moved  in  the  air  about  them.  When 
Fionn  saw  all  these  dreadful  phantoms  he  held 
his  shield  firmly  before  him,  and  drew  his 
magic  spear — a  weapon  forged  long  ages 
before  by  some  ancient  armourer  of  the  Sidhe, 
who  put  a  song  of  war  and  unfailing  death  in 
its  shining  blade. 

"  Sing  now,  my  little  ones,  and  put  the 
enchantment  of  your  song  on  these  chiefs  of 
the  Fianna,"  muttered  the  grey  old  man. 

At  his  bidding  the  phantoms  began  to  howl 


HOUSE  OF  THE  PHANTOMS    157 

and  wail  and  scream,  and  all  the  wild  animals 
of  the  woods  and  hills  hid  where  the  sound 
could  not  reach  them.  The  horses  broke 
loose  and  ran  away  in  terror — all  but  Black 
Flame,  who,  knowing  that  his  master  was  in 
peril,  beat  on  the  heavily-barred  door  with 
his  hoofs,  splintering  it  into  fragments,  and 
screaming  with  rage  rushed  over  the  threshold 
to  stand  by  Fionn's  'side.  Fear  touched  even 
the  heroes'  hearts,  but  they  called  on  their 
gods  to  strengthen  them,  and  held  their  spears 
and  shields  ready  for  the  attack  of  the  demons. 

Now  in  the  darkness  of  that  enchanted 
house  a  fierce  fight  began.  The  grey  old  man 
wove  spells  to  weaken  the  heroes'  limbs,  while 
the  phantoms  attacked  them  on  every  side 
with  weapons  cast  in  that  dark  underworld 
from  whence  they  came.  Sometimes  the 
battle  would  go  hardly  with  the  Fians,  and 
then  they  would  call  on  Lugh  Lam-Fada  and 
the  Mor  Riga,  who  would  strengthen  their 
weary  arms,  and  make  their  hearts  glow  with 
a  new  courage. 

All  through  the  night  the  battle  raged,  and 
the  howls  of  the  phantoms,  when  they  were 


158       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

struck  by  Fionn's  magic  spear,  and  the  scream- 
ing of  Black  Flame,  as  with  teeth  and  hoofs 
he  tried  to  tear  and  trample  the  weird  spirits  to 
death  in  his  endeavours  to  defend  his  master, 
echoed  wildly  over  the  hills.  Then,  to  the  joy 
of  the  Fians,  the  pale  light  of  dawn  shone 
through  the  broken  door,  dispersing  the  dark- 
ness of  the  hut,  and  at  that  moment  both 
house  and  phantoms  disappeared  from  sight. 
But  over  Fionn  and  his  comrades,  exhausted 
and  weary,  a  dense  cloud  of  sleep  fell,  and  they 
woke  only  when  the  sun  was  high  in  the 
heavens,  and  they  heard  the  birds  singing  and 
their  horses  neighing  round  them. 


THE   COMING   OF   THE   CARLE 

EARLY  in  the  autumn  following  the  fight  at 
the  House  of  the  Phantoms  Fionn  went  to 
Ben  Edar — which,  you  remember,  is  now 
called  Howth — and  there  he  gathered  round 
him  many  hundreds  of  the  Fianna,  for  he 
wished  to  discuss  with  them  the  plans  he  had 
made  for  their  disposal  during  the  coming 
winter. 

They  had  been  a  few  days  at  Ben  Edar 
when  Fionn,  with  some  of  his  chief  captains 
in  attendance,  one  morning  walked  across 
the  hill  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff  and  looked 
over  the  eastern  sea.  As  they  gazed,  there 
came  into  sight  a  fine  big  ship,  with  full-set 
sails  that  gleamed  like  a  sea-gull's  wings  as 
it  flies  in  the  sunlight.  Swiftly  it  sailed  along, 
and  when  it  drew  near  to  the  shore  a  hand- 
some young  man  appeared  on  deck.  A  shining 

159 


160      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

tunic  of  white  metal  covered  him  from  the 
neck  to  the  knees,  and  on  his  left  shoulder 
was  slung  a  round  shield  of  red  yew,  studded 
and  encircled  with  bronze.  A  straight  keen- 
edged  sword  hung  by  his  side,  and  in  his 
hands  were  two  tall  slender  spears ;  resting 
these  on  the  deck  before  him  he  took  a  high, 
wide  leap,  and  landed  on  the  sandy  shore. 

"What  youth  is  this  who  comes  so  daringly 
into  the  presence  of  the  Fian  chiefs  ? "  Conan 
asked  Fionn. 

"  He  has  probably  heard  of  your  warlike 
deeds,  Conan,  and  has  come  to  challenge  you 
to  battle,"  Fionn  replied. 

"  Indeed  he  has  not,"  said  Conan.  "  Oisin 
and  Oscur,  place  your  broad  shoulders  to- 
gether, so  that  I  may  stand  unobserved  at  the 
back  of  you.  I  am  not  inclined  to  fight  just 
now." 

The  Fians  laughed  heartily  at  this ;  and 
hearing  the  sound  the  warrior  on  the  beach 
looked  up,  then  made  his  way  by  a  narrow 
path  up  the  rugged  cliff  until  he  stood  before 
Fionn. 

"  I  seek  a  man  called  Fionn,"  the  stranger 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       161 

said,  addressing  himself  to  the  great  hero-chief. 
"  Do  you  know  in  what  part  of  this  land  he 
at  present  abides  ? " 

"  Your  search  ends  here,"  Fionn  answered  ; 
"  I  am  the  man  you  seek.  But  tell  me 
who  you  are  and  what  country  you  come 
from,  and  for  what  reason  you  have  sought 
me  ?  Do  you  need  my  help,  or  that  of  my 
noble  Fians,  for  any  adventurous  quest  you 
are  bound  on  ? " 

"My  name  is  Gael,  and  I  am  son  of  the 
King  of  Thessaly.  Well  I  know  you  by 
name,  O  Fionn,  and  have  heard  of  you  as 
a  very  brave  and  valiant  fighter ;  but  I  have 
not  come  to  seek  aid  from  you  or  any  of  your 
men — I  have  come  to  subdue  you  and  place 
you  under  tribute.  Many  countries  I  have 
visited  since  I  first  took  arms,  and  not  one 
have  I  left  without  first  placing  it  under 
terror  of  my  sword  and  exacting  from  it  a 
yearly  tribute.  Now  I  have  come  to  do  like- 
wise to  Ireland  and  the  Fianna,  and  the  sooner 
the  combat  is  arranged  the  better  pleased  I 
shaU  be." 

Conan  mac  Morna,  hiding  still  behind  Oisin 

M 


and  Oscur,  could  not  restrain  his  tongue  when 
he  heard  Gael's  speech. 

"  Undoubtedly  you  have  heard  of  us — who 
has  not?"  he  proudly  asked.  "But  in  all 
our  forays  and  wanderings  we  have  never 
heard  any  man  speak  of  you,  nor  do  I,  for 
one,  believe  a  word  of  what  you  have  said. 
The  warrior  has  not  yet  lived  who  would 
not  be  easily  conquered  by  even  the  youngest 
and  most  inexperienced  of  the  Fians.  I  think 
too,  young  man,  it  will  be  better  for  your 
health  if  you  remove  yourself  from  this  place 
immediately,  and  cease  tempting  the  Fians 
with  your  idle  and  boasting  words." 

"  There  is  only  one  man  among  the  Fianna 
who  would  speak  in  such  a  foolish  manner," 
Gael  responded,  "  and  that  is  Conan  the  Bald. 
But  I  tell  you,  Conan,  that  could  all  those 
Fians  who  have  died  during  the  past  seven 
years  come  to  life  again,  and  be  added  to 
those  who  still  live,  between  the  rising  of  the 
sun  and  its  setting  I  would  make  you  all  feel 
the  pain  and  sorrow  of  death,  so  that  not  one 
Fian  would  be  left  alive  to  enjoy  either  battle 
or  feast  again."  Then  he  turned  to  Fionn  : 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE      163 

"  Perhaps  it  would  be  easier  for  you,  Fionn,  if 
we  chose  a  more  peaceful  method  of  deciding 
who  is  the  best  man  among  us,  and  if  you 
can  find  among  your  Fians  one  who  can  get 
the  better  of  me  in  running,  or  in  single  fight, 
or  in  wrestling,  then  I  will  return  to  my  own 
country  and  never  trouble  you  again." 

"  I  assure  you  that  we  are  not  at  all 
troubled  by  your  presence,"  said  Fionn,  "  and 
if,  of  the  three  things  you  mention,  you  prefer 
to  run  a  race,  I  will  fetch  Caeilte  mac  Ronan, 
whose  running  is  swift  as  the  movement  of  a 
star  when  it  falls  from  its  place  in  the  heavens. 
Do  you  abide  here  in  friendliness  with  my 
Fians  until  I  return  with  Caeilte',  whom  I 
shall  probably  find  at  Tara ;  if  not  there,  he 
will  surely  be  with  some  of  his  kindred  at 
Keshcorran  in  the  north." 

Gael  agreed  to  this,  and  soon  after  noonday 
Fionn  commenced  his  journey.  He  had  not 
gone  very  far  when  the  sun  disappeared  behind 
a  bank  of  dark  clouds,  and  the  rain  descended 
in  torrents,  but  he  still  walked  on,  and  the 
miles  slipped  away  under  his  quick  feet.  Soon 
he  came  to  a  dark  and  gloomy  valley,  with 


164      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

hills  covered  by  thick  woods  rising  on  either 
side,  and  the  boughs  of  the  trees  met  and 
formed  an  archway  over  the  road  he  was 
travelling.  Now  he  began  to  consider  how 
much  truth  there  might  be  in  what  Gael  had 
said  of  himself.  Fionn  had  never  heard  of 
Gael  before,  but  if  he  had  placed  so  many 
countries  and  people  under  tribute  as  he 
claimed  to  have  done,  then  he  must  possess 
some  great  magical  power  unknown  to  Fionn, 
and  there  was  small  hope  that  Ireland  and  the 
Fianna  would  escape,  unconquered  as  they  had 
hitherto  been. 

It  was  unusual  for  Fionn  to  feel  despondent, 
or  to  have  doubts  as  to  the  result  of  anything 
in  which  he  and  his  Fians  might  engage ;  but 
with  each  step  that  he  took  along  the  gloomy 
road  he  felt  an  increasing  certainty  that  Gael 
would  overcome  Caeilte  in  the  forthcoming 
contest  of  speed,  unless  some  one  or  some- 
thing unforeseen  came  to  the  aid  of  the 
Fians.  Then  a  strange  thumping  sound  in 
the  distance  attracted  his  attention,  and  raising 
his  head  he  saw  a  man  of  most  extraordinary 
appearance  striding  along  the  road  towards 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       165 

him.  Never  before,  in  all  his  wanderings  and 
adventures,  Fionn  thought  to  himself,  had  he 
seen  such  a  terrifying  ugly  fellow.  The  Gilla 
Decair  was  bad-looking  enough,  but  he  was 
beautiful  compared  to  this  strange  being,  who 
was  gigantic  in  size. 

The  nearer  he  came  the  more  astonished 
Fionn  was  that  a  giant  of  such  surpassing 
ugliness  should  be  in  the  country  without 
his  knowledge.  For  the  skin  of  the  giant's 
face  was  the  colour  of  yellow  leather  ;  his  legs 
were  as  thick  as  the  trunks  of  big  pine-trees, 
but  not  straight  as  they  are ;  and  on  his  huge 
misshapen  feet  were  shoes  as  big  as  curraghs. 
A  tunic  of  a  dirty  grey -brown  colour  covered 
him  to  the  middle  of  his  legs,  and  the  tails  of 
this  were  ornamented  up  to  his  waist  with  a 
thick  layer  of  mud.  As  he  moved  these  tails 
knocked  and  flapped  against  his  legs  with  such 
force  that  the  noise  they  made  could  be  heard 
fully  half-a-mile  away,  and  with  each  step  that 
he  took  Fionn  could  hear  the  mud  and  water 
squelching  in  his  shoes,  and  could  see  how  it 
squirted  up  and  over  him.  Yet  in  the  midst 
of  all  this  mass  of  ugliness  and  dirt  Fionn  was 


166      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

surprised  to  observe,  as  the  giant  drew  nearer, 
how  beautiful  were  his  eyes,  which  shone  like 
two  clear,  deep -blue  stars  in  his  yellow 
face. 

Soon  they  came  opposite  each  other,  but 
Fionn,  being  in  a  hurry  to  find  Caeilte',  was 
passing  on  his  way  without  speaking,  when 
the  giant  hailed  him. 

"  Is  it  you,  Fionn  mac  Cumall,  that  I  see 
walking  along  the  road  without  either  Fians 
or  hounds  to  attend  you  ?  Is  there  any 
trouble  or  anxiety  on  you,  that  you  wander 
about  the  country  by  yourself?  " 

"  I  am  indeed  troubled,"  Fionn  answered ; 
"but  even  did  I  tell  you  the  cause  of  my 
perplexity  it  would  not  bring  me  one  bit 
nearer  to  getting  rid  of  it." 

"  Do  not  be  certain  of  that,  Fionn.  This  I 
know,  that  unless  you  confide  in  me,  and  tell 
me  exactly  what  the  matter  is  that  perplexes 
and  annoys  you,  you  will  regret  it  for  the  rest 
of  your  life." 

"If  that  be  so,"  said  Fionn,  "I  will  tell 
you,  though  I  have  no  knowledge  of  who  or 
what  you  are.  Know  then,  that  this  morning 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE      167 

there  came  to  me  at  Ben  Edar  a  young  man, 
who  said  he  was  Cael,  the  King  of  Thessaly's 
son ;  and  that  he  would  conquer  and  put 
under  tribute  the  whole  of  Ireland — as  he  had 
other  countries — unless  I  found  some  one  who, 
at  running  or  wrestling  or  fighting,  was  better 
than  himself." 

"  I  have  some  acquaintance  with  Cael," 
said  the  big  man,  "  and  I  assure  you  he  is  not 
boasting.  There  will  be  desolation  and  grief 
among  the  Fianna  unless  you  find  some  one  to 
overcome  him.  What  do  you  intend  doing  ? " 

"  I  have  said  that  Caeilte'  shall  run  a  race 
with  him,  and  I  go  now  to  search  for  Caeilte, 
who  is  either  at  Tara  or  Keshcorran." 

The  big  man  laughed  scornfully.  "  Indeed 
if  Caeilte  is  the  only  man  among  the  Fianna 
on  whom  you  rely,  you  are  already  conquered  ; 
for  although  Caeilte  has  the  swiftness  of  a 
frightened  deer,  Cael  is  twice  as  quick." 

"  May  I  die  before  I  see  Ireland  paying 
tribute  to  the  foreigner ! "  exclaimed  Fionn 
vehemently.  "  I  will  invoke  the  aid  of  the 
hidden  gods  and  the  folk  of  the  hills ;  they 
have  never  yet  failed  me  in  my  need,  and 


168      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

they  will  not  now  refuse  their  help,"  and  he 
began  to  hurry  along  the  forest  road. 

The  giant  made  a  couple  of  strides  after 
him  and  held  him  by  the  shoulder.  "  Curb 
your  hastiness,  Fionn,  and  listen  to  me.  I 
offer  myself  as  the  champion  of  Ireland  and 
the  opponent  of  Gael  in  the  race,  and  I  will 
wager  you  anything  you  like  that  I  shall  win." 

"You  have  said  that  Gael  is  almost  un- 
conquerable," said  Fionn,  "so  why  should 
you  seek  to  endanger  your  life  in  my  affairs  ? 
Though  indeed  I  think  that,  between  the 
weight  of  your  coat  and  those  ill-fitting 
brogues,  you  must  find  it  difficult  enough  to 
walk,  and  running  would  be  an  impossible 
feat." 

"  You  are  unwise,  Fionn,  to  judge  a  person 
by  his  outward  appearance.  I  tell  you  now 
that  in  the  whole  of  Ireland  there  is  no  man 
but  myself  can  outrace  Gael." 

"If  that  be  so,"  replied  Fionn,  "let  us 
straightway  return  to  Ben  Edar,  and  if  you 
deliver  Ireland  and  the  Fianna  from  the 
burden  Gael  would  impose  upon  us,  I,  for  one, 
will  swear  to  render  you  service  any  time  you 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       169 

demand  it — even  my  life  shall  be  yours  if  you 
ask  it.  And  now  tell  me  by  what  name  you 
are  known." 

"  For  the  present  you  can  call  me  '  The 
Carle  of  the  Brown  Coat,' "  the  stranger 
replied. 

So  Fionn  turned  his  face  and  steps  again  in 
the  direction  of  Ben  Edar,  but  as  he  walked 
along  the  dark  road,  under  the  arching  trees, 
he  looked  wonderingly  at  the  big  uncouth 
man  who  strode  silently  along  at  his  side ;  for 
now  and  then  Fionn  caught  the  gleam  of 
little  many-coloured  flames  which  flitted  and 
danced  around  the  stranger,  and  heard  a  sweet, 
clear  ringing  in  the  air  about  him,  like  the 
chiming  of  those  silver  bells  which  make  music 
in  Manannan's  Isle  of  Promise. 

It  was  night-time  at  Ben  Edar,  and  the 
Fians,  though  they  treated  Cael  quite  cour- 
teously, were  beginning  to  hate  him  intensely, 
for  he  moved  among  them  and  spoke  to  them 
as  though  he  had  already  proved  himself  to  be 
the  conqueror  of  both  them  and  their  land. 
They  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  his 


170      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

speeches,  however,  but  occupied  themselves  in 
preparing  supper,  and  the  hillsides  and  hollows 
of  Ben  Edar  were  cheerful  with  the  light  of 
many  fires  and  torches,  the  laughter  of  men, 
and  impatient  barking  of  hounds — who  scented 
their  supper — when  Fionn  and  the  big  man 
unexpectedly  appeared  in  their  midst.  In  a 
minute  the  Fians  had  all  gathered  round 
the  stranger,  for  never  before,  in  the  length  or 
breadth  of  Ireland,  had  they  seen  his  like. 
Hearing  the  commotion  Gael  strolled  up  also, 
and  seeing  Fionn  inquired : 

"  Well,  Fionn,  have  you  brought  Caeilte'  to 
compete  with  me  ?  " 

"  I  have  not,"  said  Fionn  curtly  ;  "  but  I 
have  brought  another  man,  who  is  known  as 
the  '  Carle  of  the  Brown  Coat,'  and  he  will  try 
his  skill  in  running  against  yours." 

Cael  looked  at  the  Carle,  and  observing  his 
ugliness  and  dirty  condition  with  deep  disgust 
and  contempt,  said  : 

"  If  that  is  the  only  man  you  can  find, 
Fionn,  you  may  take  him  away  and  leave  him 
in  the  place  you  got  him  from,  for  never, 
though  I  lived  to  all  eternity,  would  I  run  with 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE      171 

the  like  of  that.  Moreover,  Fionn,  I  regard  it 
as  a  great  indignity  that  you  should  bring  into 
my  presence  such  an  object  as  that,  and  when 
you  are  under  my  commands  I  will  not  forget 
this  insult  you  have  placed  on  me." 

The  Carle  gave  a  sudden  burst  of  laughter, 
which,  like  the  flapping  of  his  coat-tails,  could 
have  been  heard  half  a  mile  away ;  then  he 
turned  to  Cael  and  said,  in  a  quiet  voice  : 

"  You  may  not  like  my  appearance,  young 
man,  but  perhaps  I  have  more  attainments 
than  you  imagine.  And  as  I  have  come 
here  solely  for  the  purpose  of  competing  in 
speed  with  you,  it  will  seem  very  like  cowardice 
on  your  part  if  you  refuse  to  do  that  which 
you  yourself  suggested.  So  tell  me  now  what 
length  of  course  you  are  accustomed  to  run, 
and  if  I  fail  to  run  the  distance  you  name  then 
you  may  consider  yourself  better  than  any 
man  hi  Ireland." 

"  It  is  not  my  habit,"  Cael  retorted  scorn- 
fully, "  to  attempt  any  course  measuring  less 
than  sixty  miles ;  and  I  imagine,  great  as  your 
size  is,  you  are  quite  unequal  for  that  distance." 

"The  end  of  the  race  will  tell,"  said  the 


172      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Carle.  "  I  think  the  best  course  for  us  will  be 
that  from  Slieve  Luachra,  in  Munster,  back 
here  to  Ben  Edar.  It  may  be  a  trifle  over 
the  sixty  miles  you  insist  on,  but  that  will  not 
matter  to  the  champion  you  are.  To-morrow 
we  will  walk  sociably  together  to  Slieve 
Luachra,  and  the  day  afterwards  begin  our 
little  race  back." 

"  Very  well,"  Gael  muttered,  and  turning 
his  back  contemptuously  on  the  Carle,  marched 
away. 

The  next  day  Gael  and  the  Carle  set  out 
together  to  walk  to  Slieve  Luachra,  and  it 
could  not  have  been  a  very  pleasant  journey 
thither  for  the  Carle,  because,  though  he  was 
friendly  enough,  Gael  treated  him  with  the 
utmost  scorn  on  account  of  his  appearance. 
Towards  sunset  they  reached  their  destination, 
and  then  the  Carle  said : 

"I'm  thinking,  Gael,  it  would  be  wise  to 
put  up  some  kind  of  covering  to  shelter  us  this 
night." 

"You  can  do  as  you  like,"  Gael  replied, 
"  but  don't  imagine  for  a  minute  that  I'm 
going  to  help  you  build  either  house  or  hut 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       173 

on  Slieve  Luachra  for  the  one  night  I  intend 
to  be  here,  especially  as  I  have  no  intention 
of  ever  coming  here  again." 

"Now  don't  give  yourself  any  annoyance, 
Gael.  I  can  easily  manage  to  put  up  a  little 
hut  myself.  But  don't  imagine  either  that 
you  are  going  to  share  it  when  it  is  built ;  you 
just  keep  a  far  distance  outside  it." 

With  that  the  Carle  sauntered  away  to 
where  a  wood  clothed  the  mountain-side,  and 
began  to  fell  a  number  of  young  pine-trees, 
and  cut  a  quantity  of  rushes.  When  he  had 
finished  he  gathered  them  all  together  in  one 
vast  load,  and  carrying  them  down  the  moun- 
tain to  where  Gael  still  stood,  scornfully 
watching  his  proceedings,  he  soon  built  him- 
self a  house,  and  had  a  warm,  bright  fire  blazing 
in  the  centre  of  it.  Then  he  turned  to  Gael 
again  and  said : 

"  Though  you  have  no  desire  for  a  roof  to 
cover  your  head,  perhaps  you  want  some 
supper.  It  may  be  more  to  your  liking  to 
come  into  the  wood  yonder  with  me  and  hunt 
the  deer  or  wild  boar  before  the  darkness " 

"  Whatever  I  want  or  don't  want,"  inter- 


174      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

rupted  Gael  angrily,  "it's  not  with  the  like 
of  you  I'd  be  seen  hunting." 

"  Indeed  you're  more  foolish  than  I 
thought  any  man  could  be,"  said  the  Carle,  and 
laughed  loudly  as  Gael  walked  sulkily  away. 

So  the  Carle  again  went  up  the  hillside  into 
the  wood,  and  after  a  little  time  he  roused  an 
enormous  wild  boar.  Up  and  down  the  wood 
it  ran,  seeking  a  hiding-place  in  the  brambles 
and  dense  undergrowth,  and  the  Carle  steadily 
followed  it.  Finally  it  tried  to  escape  through 
the  thick  heather  which  grew  higher  up  the 
mountain,  but  here  the  Carle  overtook  it  and 
with  a  stout,  sharp  stake  pinned  it  to  the 
ground.  Then  slinging  it  across  his  shoulders 
he  brought  it  back  to  his  house,  and  when  he 
had  prepared  it  placed  it  on  spits  before  the 
fire  to  roast. 

"  It's  very  certain  now,"  said  the  Carle  to 
himself,  "that  I'll  have  to  beg,  borrow,  or  steal 
some  drink  from  somebody." 

He  considered  for  a  moment,  then  thought 
of  a  house  about  thirty  miles  away,  where 
a  rich  man  lived,  and  where  there  would  surely 
be  plenty  of  ale  and  wine.  He  put  more  logs 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       175 

on  the  fire  and  gave  the  boar  a  turn,  and 
remarking  to  himself  that  he  would  be  back  by 
the  time  it  was  cooked,  hurried  away.  Indeed 
it  was  fortunate  for  Gael's  peace  of  mind  that 
he  did  not  see  the  way  the  big  man  travelled 
over  hills  and  bogs  and  rivers ;  if  he  had, 
he  would  not  have  given  much  for  his  own 
chance  of  winning  the  race. 

At  length  the  Carle  reached  the  house  he 
was  thinking  about,  but  it  was  in  utter  darkness. 
Not  a  single  person  was  to  be  seen ;  not  even 
a  dog  barked.  Then,  being  a  very  sociable 
individual,  and  not  having  any  one  else  to 
speak  to,  he  began  to  talk  to  himself. 

"  Having  come  all  this  way  I'm  certainly 
not  going  back  with  empty  hands,"  he  said. 
"  I'll  have  to  break  into  the  store-house,  and 
obtain  a  little  sup  of  wine  and  a  bite  of  bread, 
at  least." 

He  walked  about  and  investigated  the 
different  offices  and  out-buildings,  and  at  last 
found  the  store-house.  Entering  it  he  took 
two  barrels  of  wine,  a  heap  of  newly-baked 
bread  that  was  placed  ready  for  the  morrow's 
use,  some  dishes,  a  table  and  a  chair,  and 


176      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

putting  them  all  together  in  one  load  returned 
to  his  own  place. 

He  found  the  boar  roasted  exactly  as  he 
liked  it,  crisp  on  the  outside  and  juicy  within, 
so  cutting  it  in  two  he  placed  half  on  the  table 
for  his  supper  and  saved  the  other  portion  for 
his  breakfast  next  morning.  Half  the  bread 
he  put  on  the  table  also,  and  rolling  a  barrel 
of  wine  to  his  side  he  sat  down  comfortably  to 
his  meal.  Then,  having  eaten  the  half  boar 
and  bread,  and  taken  a  barrel  of  wine,  he 
began  to  feel  drowsy,  and  spreading  out  some 
rushes  on  the  floor  he  lay  down  and  was  soon 
wrapped  in  a  deep  slumber. 

In  the  morning  the  sun  had  been  shining 
brilliantly  for  some  time  when  Gael,  who  had 
been  on  the  mountain-side  the  whole  night 
without  food  or  drink,  and  consequently  was 
in  a  fearful  rage,  came  down  to  the  Carle's 
house  and  shouted  through  the  doorway  : 

"  Well  I  know  you  are  big  and  ugly,  now 
I  find  you  are  lazy  also.  Rise  at  once  and  let 
us  commence  our  journey." 

"  Considering  your  small  size  you've  a 
terrible  big  tongue  on  you,"  said  the  Carle, 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       177 

turning  round  on  his  rushes  and  sleepily  rubbing 
his  eyes.  "  If  you  are  so  anxious  to  take  to 
the  road  start  now,  by  all  means,  and  leave  me 
in  peace  to  finish  my  sleep.  I  shall,  no  doubt, 
catch  you  up  somewhere  between  here  and 
Ben  Edar." 

When  Gael  heard  the  Carle  speak  so  con- 
fidently he  began  to  have  some  misgivings  as 
to  whether  the  race  would  belong  to  him  after 
all,  and  took  to  the  road  at  once.  But  the 
Carle  turned  round  on  his  couch  again  and 
slept  for  another  while  ;  when  his  sleep  was 
ended  he  leisurely  rose  and  washed  himself, 
then  sat  down  to  the  table  and  breakfasted  off 
the  remaining  half  of  the  boar  and  pile  of  bread, 
and  drank  the  other  barrel  of  wine. 

"  I'd  better  take  these  bones  with  me  ;  they 
may  happen  in  handy,"  he  said  to  himself,  as 
his  glance  rested  on  the  pig's  rib  and  leg  bones, 
so  he  packed  them  up  in  the  tails  of  his  coat 
before  starting  on  his  journey.  Then  away  he 
went,  with  the  speed  of  an  arrow  flying  from 
the  bow,  or  a  swallow  skimming  through  the 
clear  air ;  and  though  Gael  had  two  or  three 
hours'  start  it  was  not  long  till  the  Carle  over- 

N 


178      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

took  him,  and  unfastening  his  coat-tails  pitched 
the  bones  on  the  road  before  him. 

"  Here  you  are,  Gael,"  he  said  cheerfully. 
"Maybe  you'll  find  a  good  picking  on  these 
bones,  for  sure  you  must  be  weak  and  starving 
after  passing  the  whole  night  on  the  mountain- 
side, without  food  or  drink  or  shelter." 

"  May  the  sun  cease  to  shine,  and  the  whole 
world  change  to  ice,  before  I  touch  the  bones 
— or  anything  else — your  gluttonous  teeth 
have  gone  over,"  Gael  angrily  replied. 

"Just  as  you  choose,"  said  the  Carle  with  a 
laugh  ;  "  but  in  any  case,  whether  you  eat  or 
don't  eat,  I  should  advise  you  to  put  on  a 
better  gait  of  going  than  you  have  yet  done," 
and  before  Gael  could  make  any  answer  the 
big  man  moved  on  at  a  tremendous  speed, 
and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

Thirty  or  forty  miles  he  went  without 
stopping,  until  he  came  to  a  road  edged  with 
high  blackberry  bushes,  and  here  and  there 
clumps  of  tall  pink  foxgloves  growing  in  the 
hollows.  The  wild  bees  were  busy  gathering 
honey  from  the  blooms,  and  for  some  time  the 
Carle,  smiling  gently  to  himself,  stood  watch- 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       179 

ing  them  as  they  crawled  in  and  out  of  the 
hooded  flowers,  and  observed  how  their  little 
legs  were  heavy  with  balls  of  the  golden  honey- 
dust.  Then  he  picked  a  huge  heap  of  black- 
berries, warm  with  the  sun,  and  sat  down  on  a 
grassy  bank  to  eat  them.  He  was  still  eating 
when  Gael  came  along  and  said  to  him : 

"  That  mud-covered  coat  of  yours  is  tail- 
less now,  Carle.  Twenty  or  thirty  miles  back 
I  noticed  one  piece  tangled  in  a  bush,  and 
some  miles  beyond  that  again  I  saw  another 
piece  hanging  from  an  oak-branch." 

"  Is  it  my  coat-tails  gone  ? "  the  Carle 
inquired,  jumping  up  and  examining  his  coat. 
"  Now  surely  I  must  go  back  to  find  them  ;  it 
would  not  be  decent  for  me  to  enter  Fionn's 
presence  with  only  half  a  coat  on.  The  proper 
and  just  thing  for  you  to  do  in  this  case  will 
be  to  wait  here  for  me  until  I  return  with  them. 
You  will  still  find  a  few  blackberries  left,  I 
believe." 

"  You  must  think  me  very  foolish  indeed  if 
you  imagine  I  will  do  anything  of  the  kind," 
Gael  replied,  with  the  utmost  scorn.  "Let 
me  tell  you,  Carle,  that  it  wasn't  in  the  last 


180      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

shower  of  rain  I  came  down,"  and  he  continued 
his  journey. 

The  Carle  hurriedly  retraced  his  steps  along 
the  road,  and  at  length  found  his  coat-tails — 
one  here  and  one  there,  as  Gael  had  said.  Then 
sitting  down  on  a  fallen  tree  he  took  his  coat 
off,  and  pulling  out  a  needle  and  thread  stitched 
the  tails  neatly  on  in  their  proper  places  again. 
"  Now  I'll  make  another  start,"  he  said,  putting 
his  coat  on,  and  quicker  than  the  wind  blows 
in  March,  when  gales  sweep  in  from  the  sea 
and  over  high  mountain -peaks,  he  flashed 
down  the  road. 

In  a  little  while  he  overtook  Gael  for  the 
second  time,  and  said  to  him  : 

"  Is  it  only  this  far  you  have  reached  ?  I  tell 
you  again,  Gael,  if  you  desire  to  win  this  race 
and  carry  off  treasure  from  Ireland  and  the 
Fians,  your  gait  of  going  will  have  to  be 
considerably  better  than  it  has  hitherto  been, 
for,  whatever  happens,  I  shall  turn  back  no 
more." 

With  that  the  Carle  commenced  running 
again  as  though  some  demon  possessed  him, 
and  never  slackened  speed  until  he  came  to  a 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       181 

hill  a  few  miles  from  Ben  Edar.  Then,  feel- 
ing hot  and  thirsty,  he  plucked  and  ate  black- 
berries until  his  thirst  was  assuaged.  After- 
wards he  took  off  his  coat  once  more,  and 
producing  his  needle  and  thread  again,  sat 
down  and  began  to  stitch  it  together  in  such  a 
manner  that  it  formed  a  deep,  wide  bag,  which 
he  filled  with  big  juicy  berries.  Slinging 
this  over  his  shoulder  he  began  to  stroll  slowly 
towards  Ben  Edar. 

In  the  meantime  Fionn  and  the  Fianna 
were  waiting  in  great  anxiety  at  Ben  Edar, 
fearing  lest  Cael  should  reach  there  before  the 
stranger,  who  had  so  unexpectedly  offered 
himself  as  their  champion.  As  the  evening 
wore  on  Fionn  sent  one  of  his  men  to  the  hill- 
top to  watch  for  the  approach  of  either  Cael  or 
Carle,  and  he  soon  returned  with  the  news 
that  Cael  was  walking  unconcernedly  along 
the  road,  with  what  appeared  to  be  the  dead 
body  of  the  Carle  slung  upon  his  shoulders. 

"Worse  tidings  than  that  it  would  be 
impossible  to  hear,"  cried  Fionn.  "  To  any 
one  who  will  bring  me  better  news  I  will  give 
the  most  perfect  spear  and  sword  that  can  be 


182      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

made  by  our  armourers,  and  a  shield  that  will 
resist  the  strongest  blows." 

Another  Fian  hurried  away  to  the  hill-top, 
and  soon  recognized  the  approaching  figure  as 
that  of  the  Carle.  The  Fians  hailed  his  arrival 
with  shouts  and  exclamations  of  relief  and 
delight,  asking  for  news  of  Gael,  but  the  Carle 
placed  his  load  of  blackberries  on  the  ground 
and  sat  down  beside  it,  saying  : 

"Whatever  information  I  possess  I  will 
impart  to  you  when  I  have  satisfied  my  hunger. 
Coming  along  the  road  I  picked  a  quantity  of 
bramble-berries,  and  now  I  should  like  a  good- 
sized  pot  of  porridge  so  that  I  may  mix  the 
two  together,  and  have  a  plentiful  supper." 

He  was  in  the  midst  of  the  meal  when  Cael 
appeared,  charging  furiously  along  the  hill-road, 
his  sword  bare  in  his  hand  and  his  eyes  blazing 
red,  like  the  eyes  of  an  angry  dog. 

"  Surely  he  will  do  some  one  a  damage  if 
he  comes  nearer,"  said  the  Carle,  and  seizing 
a  mass  of  the  mixed  corn  and  berries  in  his 
enormous  hands  quickly  kneaded  it  up  into  a 
hard  ball,  and  threw  it  with  such  precision  of 
aim  that  it  struck  Cael  on  the  head,  hitting 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE      183 

him  with  so  great  a  force  that  his  head  was 
twisted  sideways  on  his  body,  and  he  could  not 
straighten  it  again. 

"  Now,  Gael,"  said  the  Carle,  "  was  it  not  a 
great  mistake  for  you  to  come  here,  thinking 
that  you  would  be  allowed  to  tax  Ireland  and 
the  Fianna  in  any  manner  you  chose,  and 
that  none  would  be  able  to  stand  against  you  ? 
The  Fianna  would  be  within  their  rights  in 
putting  you  to  death,  but  neither  Fionn  nor 
the  Fians  would  have  it  said  that  they  were  so 
unchivalrous  as  to  bring  death  on  a  man  who 
had  adventured  solitary  among  them.  If  you 
will  swear  by  the  three  powers  of  sun  and 
moon  and  wind  to  send  tribute  every  year 
from  your  country  to  the  Fianna,  as  long  as 
you  live,  you  will  be  allowed  to  return  to  your 
own  land  in  the  condition  you  are  now  in." 

Gael's  spirit  was  broken  by  his  defeat  and 
the  humiliation  of  his  twisted  neck,  but  he  was 
glad  enough  to  escape  with  his  life,  when  he 
fully  expected  death  would  be  his  portion. 
So  he  solemnly  vowed  by  the  three  powers 
that  every  year,  as  long  as  he  remained  alive, 
tribute  should  come  from  his  kingdom  to  Fionn. 


184      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  And  it  is  my  grief,"  he  said,  "  that  ever  I 
came  to  Ireland,  for  now  I  am  as  a  tree  blasted 
and  distorted  by  lightning ;  henceforth  I  shall 
be  the  mock  and  scorn  of  people  wherever  I  go." 

"  I  think,  Gael,  it  will  be  better  for  you  to 
board  your  ship  and  cease  lamenting  over  the 
trouble  you  have  brought  on  yourself,"  the 
Carle  said,  taking  Gael  by  the  arm,  and  begin- 
ning to  lead  him  to  the  shore.  Then  he 
turned  round  to  Fionn,  and  continued  :  "  Let 
neither  you  nor  your  men  come  with  me, 
Fionn  :  I  will  return  in  a  little  while." 

He  walked  over  the  hill-top  and  down  the 
winding  path  to  the  shore  with  Gael,  and 
wading  into  deep  water  placed  Gael  on  the 
deck.  Then  a  little  wind  blew  from  the  land, 
the  vessel  began  to  move  and  the  sails  filled 
out,  gleaming  like  dim  silver  in  the  gathering 
twilight.  The  Carle  watched  it  until  it  dis- 
appeared in  the  darkness,  then  he  sighed  a 
little,  as  one  sighs  over  the  foolishness  or  ignor- 
ance of  others — and  sometimes  over  one's  own 
— and  turned  away  from  the  shore. 

During  the  Carle's  absence  the  Fians  made 


ON  THE  HILL-TOP  A  STRANGE  AND  WONDERFUL  MAN  APPEARED 


COMING  OF  THE  CARLE       185 

preparations  for  a  great  banquet,  to  celebrate 
his  victory  over  the  Prince  of  Thessaly. 
Their  arrangements  were  almost  completed 
when  the  sound  of  a  sweet,  far-off  music  came 
floating  over  the  hill- top  towards  them.  So 
entrancing  was  the  melody  that  the  Fians 
ceased  their  occupations ;  ceased,  too,  their 
laughter  and  conversation,  and  gazed  at  the 
hillside,  wondering  if  the  folk  of  the  Tuatha 
de  Danann  who  had  chosen  it  for  a  home  in 
ancient  days  were  coming  forth  again. 

The  music  drew  nearer,  and  still  they 
listened,  while  the  deer  and  wild  boar  roasted 
untended  by  the  fires.  Then  on  the  hiU-top 
a  strange  and  wonderful  man  appeared,  with 
many-coloured  lights  shining  around  him,  and 
over  his  head  two  waving  rays  of  light,  like 
the  wings  of  a  golden  bird.  In  his  hand  he 
held  a  branch  covered  with  blossoms  like 
silver  bells,  and  as  he  moved  these  swayed 
and  touched  each  other,  filling  the  air  with  a 
sweet,  delicate  music,  and,  so  it  seemed  to  the 
Fians,  with  singing  also. 

Nearer  and  nearer  the  man  came,  moving 
steadily  towards  them  through  the  darkness, 


186      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

until  at  last  he  stood  within  a  few  paces  of 
the  silent  Fians.  For  a  moment  or  two  he 
looked  at  them  with  a  tender  smile  on  his 
face,  then  he  said  : 

"Did  I  not  speak  truly,  O  Fian-chief, 
when  I  said  there  was  no  man  in  Ireland  but 
myself  who  could  vanquish  Gael  ?  From  my 
home  in  Rath  Croghan  I  foresaw  your  need, 
and  came  hither  to  help  you  in  your  trouble ; 
now  my  service  is  ended  I  must  leave  you 
again." 

He  shook  the  branch  of  bell-blossoms,  and 
a  sleepy  music  issued  from  it  which  caused 
the  Fians'  eyes  to  close.  When  they  opened 
them  again  there  was  nothing  unusual  to  be 
seen  or  heard,  except  a  distant  sound  like  the 
lingering  echo  of  some  wonderfully  beautiful 
music ;  but  Fionn  and  his  warriors  knew  then 
that  he  who  had  been  among  them  in  the 
guise  of  the  Carle  was  none  other  than  Midir 
the  Sun-Bright,  the  Ever-Living,  one  of  the 
greatest  chiefs  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann. 


THE  HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN 

IT  was  a  bitterly  cold  day  in  the  beginning  of 
winter,  and  Fionn,  who  with  his  son  Oisin, 
Oscur,  Caeilte',  Diarmuid,  and  the  son  of 
Lugach  had  been  travelling  from  early  in 
the  morning,  soon  after  midday  found  them- 
selves in  a  desolate  part  of  the  country  lying 
a  little  to  the  south  of  Loch  Erne.  Heavy 
hailstorms  frequently  swept  down  upon  them, 
and  they  were  looking  for  a  house  to  shelter 
in  when  they  started  a  shy,  beautiful  fawn 
from  its  lair  in  a  hazel-wood.  It  ran  swiftly 
away  from  them,  and,  forgetting  all  their  dis- 
comfort, they  followed  it  from  one  place  to 
another  till  they  came  to  Slieve-na-man. 
Suddenly  the  fawn  disappeared  from  their 
sight  and  they  could  not  tell  in  which  direction 
it  went.  Indeed,  it  seemed  to  them  to  dis- 
appear into  the  ground. 

187 


188      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

The  night  began  to  grow  very  dark,  and 
thick  flakes  of  snow  fell  softly  over  everything, 
while  now  and  again  a  little,  shrill  wind 
sounded  weirdly  through  the  leafless  branches 
of  the  trees.  Fionn  and  his  men  were  very 
tired,  and  the  bitter  cold  and  storm  robbed 
them  of  all  their  energy  and  strength.  They 
longed  earnestly  for  a  house  where  they  could 
rest  and  stretch  their  limbs  in  warm  comfort 
before  a  blazing  fire. 

"Go,  Caeilte,"  said  Fionn,  "and  see  if 
there  is  any  house  near  where  we  can  find 
protection  from  this  night's  tempest." 

Though  Caeilte  was  weary  and  numb  with 
cold,  he  willingly  obeyed  his  chief's  command, 
and  hurried  away  as  quickly  as  he  could  down 
the  road  leading  to  the  southward  of  the 
mountain,  and  there,  in  a  curve  of  the  hillside, 
he  saw  a  great  house,  with  bright  shafts  of 
light  streaming  from  its  windows  and  wide- 
open  door  across  the  snowy  ground.  For  some 
time  he  stood  looking  at  it,  wondering  whether 
he  should  go  and  inquire  of  the  owner  if  he 
would  give  hospitality  to  Fionn  and  his  Fians, 
or  whether  he  should  go  back  to  Fionn  and 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  189 

tell  him  of  his  discovery.  Finally  he  deter- 
mined to  go  straight  up  to  the  house,  and 
walking  in  through  the  door,  sat  down  on  a 
curiously-fashioned  chair  of  amethyst  crystal 
just  inside.  No  one  appeared  to  notice  him, 
so  he  sat  still  and  observed  the  house  and  the 
people  in  it,  the  like  of  whom  he  had  never 
seen  before.  On  one  side  of  the  house  he 
saw  a  number  of  men  with  shining  spears 
and  shields,  and  by  each  man  stood  a  beautiful 
woman ;  on  the  other  side  stood  a  group  of 
gentle -eyed,  yellow  -  haired  girls,  with  fur 
cloaks  reaching  from  their  shoulders  to  their 
heels.  In  the  centre  of  the  floor  was  another 
crystal  chair,  like  the  one  he  sat  on,  and  sitting 
on  this  was  a  tall,  beautiful  girl,  who  played 
a  harp  and  sang  as  she  played.  In  the  midst 
of  a  song  she  glanced  round,  and  looked  at 
the  Fian. 

"  Caeilte,"  she  said,  and  he  wondered  how 
she  knew  his  name,  "your  long  journey  to- 
day and  the  storm  has  wearied  you.  Come 
near  to  the  fire,  and  good  meat  and  strong  ale 
shall  be  placed  before  you." 

"That  I  cannot  do,"  Caeilte'  replied,  "while 


190       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

my  comrades  are  waiting  cold  and  hungry  in 
the  snow  outside.  Fionn  mac  Cumall,  with 
some  of  the  Fians,  are  out  there,  and  he  sent 
me  to  look  for  a  house  that  would  shelter  him 
from  this  night's  storm." 

"  There  is  no  man  in  Ireland  we  would 
sooner  welcome  this  night  than  the  chief  of 
the  Fianna,"  said  one  of  the  men.  "  So  hurry, 
Caeilte',  and  bring  Fionn  and  his  warriors  in. 
In  his  own  place  Fionn  has  never  been  known 
to  refuse  hospitality  to  man  or  beast,  and  not 
one  of  us  would  refuse  it  to  him." 

Caeilte'  quickly  returned  to  Fionn,  who  said : 

"You  have  been  a  long  time  away,  it  seems 
to  me.  Never  before  in  my  life  have  I  been 
so  distressed  as  I  am  now  by  the  biting  wind 
and  storm  of  this  night ;  no,  not  even  by  all 
the  wounds  I  have  received  in  battle." 

Caeilte  spoke  gently  to  him,  for  the  great 
hero-chief  was  growing  old,  and  told  him  of 
the  house  that  lay  hidden  on  the  hillside,  and 
through  the  blinding  snow  and  darkness  the 
Fians  made  their  way  thither.  The  man  who 
had  spoken  to  Caeilte'  before  came  forward 
and  conducted  them  to  the  end  of  the  room, 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  191 

where  there  was  a  warm  fire  of  logs,  and  called 
a  young  girl  to  wait  on  them. 

"  Give  these  heroes,"  he  said,  "  the  best 
there  is  in  the  house.  Let  them  have  the 
freshest  of  meat  and  the  strongest  of  old  ale, 
so  that  their  weariness  will  fall  from  them  like 
a  cloak." 

When  the  Fians  had  finished  their  supper 
Fionn  rose  from  his  seat  and  stretched  his 
mighty  limbs. 

"Surely  there  is  some  magic  in  the  food 
and  drink  you  have  given  us,"  he  said  to  his 
host,  "  for  rarely,  except  when  the  battle-fury 
has  been  on  me,  have  I  felt  the  strength  I  do 
this  night." 

"  It  is  a  true  word  you  have  spoken,"  said 
the  man,  who  seemed  to  be  the  chief  of  the 
house.  "  The  meat  you  have  eaten  is  that  of 
one  of  Angus  Oge's  enchanted  swine,  which, 
though  it  was  killed  to-day,  will  be  living 
again  to-morrow.  The  golden-shining  apples 
came  from  Manannan's  Isle  of  Youth  hidden 
in  the  distant  sea ;  and  from  the  hazel-trees 
of  wisdom,  which  overhang  the  sacred  well, 
the  nuts  are  gathered.  He  who  has  once 


192       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

eaten  of  these  things  will  have  strength  and 
valour  and  wisdom  as  long  as  his  life  endures." 

When  Fionn  heard  this  he  began  to  wonder 
what  manner  of  people  he  had  come  among — 
whether  they  were  magicians  or  people  of  the 
Sidhe. 

"  Who  are  you,  warrior,  and  who  are  your 
companions  ? "  he  questioned.  "  Many  years 
I  have  been  up  and  down  through  Ireland, 
going  from  north  to  south,  from  east  to  west, 
and  I  do  not  remember  meeting  you  before." 

"  We  are  of  the  race  of  those  who  see,  but 
are  not  seen,"  answered  the  man,  "for  I  am 
Donn  mac  Midir,  and  the  twenty-seven  men 
yonder  are  my  brothers,  sons  of  Midir  the 
Sun-Bright  also.  We,  and  others  of  our  kin, 
were  happy  together  until  Bove  Derg  obtained 
the  kingship  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann,  and 
claimed  hostages  from  us.  But  we  rebelled, 
and  would  not  accede  to  Bove  Derg's  demands 
unless  all  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  gave  hostages 
too.  Because  of  this  Bove  Derg  threatened 
my  father,  and  to  save  him  much  trouble  and 
warfare  we  left  him,  and  with  many  hundreds 
of  our  followers  hid  ourselves  in  this  quiet, 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  193 

secret  spot.  In  time  Bove  Derg  discovered 
us,  and  even  now  will  not  let  us  abide  in  peace, 
but  wages  war  on  us  continually.  Many  hun- 
dreds we  were,  I  say,  for  I  and  my  brothers 
had  ten  hundred  men  each ;  now  we  alone 
remain  to  carry  on  the  fight." 

"  What  caused  so  many  of  your  people  to 
die  ? "  asked  Fionn. 

"  Every  year  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  come 
in  battle  against  us  on  the  plain  outside,  and 
I  fear  that  the  next  time  they  come  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  withstand  them.  But  if 
our  losses  have  been  great,  theirs  have  been 
great  also,"  said  Donn  mac  Midir  proudly, 
"and  it  is  better  for  us  to  fall  fighting  than 
to  live  in  unjust  subjection." 

Fionn  held  out  his  hand  to  Donn,  and 
exclaimed : 

"  By  my  spear,  I  would  that  you  and  your 
brothers  belonged  to  the  Fianna,  for  we  too 
have  always  waged  war  on  the  unjust,  and 
if  we  can  give  you  help  in  your  fighting  we 
will.  But  tell  me  now,  O  son  of  Midir,  in 
your  battles  with  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  what 

losses  have  they  sustained  ? " 

o 


194       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"You  see  the  long  green  mound  in  the 
field  outside — that  is  where  Diangala,  their 
most  powerful  enchanter,  is  buried,"  Donn 
replied.  "  He  came  to  the  battle,  thinking 
that  his  spells  would  be  stronger  than  our 
magic  arts  and  keen  bright  blades.  But  he 
was  overcome,  and  death  met  him  on  the 
green  grass  under  which  he  now  lies." 

"  That  was  a  great  loss  indeed,"  said  Fionn. 
"  Had  they  others  to  equal  that  ? " 

"Another  time  we  captured  from  them 
all  the  treasure  they  valued  most ;  cups  and 
vessels  of  shining  gold,  and  many  jewels  of 
great  price,  but  the  loss  of  this  treasure 
caused  them  less  grief  than  the  death  of 
Diangala.  Another  loss  they  had  was  Fethna, 
their  woman -minstrel,  who  made  music  of 
most  surpassing  sweetness  and  power,  that 
brought  joy  and  peace  and  dreams  of  high 
deeds  into  their  hearts,  and  when  we  killed 
her  they  mourned  exceedingly." 

"  It  is  not  right  to  make  war  on  women," 
said  Fionn  sternly. 

"  She  came  in  the  guise  of  a  man,"  Donn 
explained,  "  and  in  the  stress  of  the  fight  a 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  195 

spear  passed  through  her,  and  she  died.  Now, 
to  -  morrow  is  the  time  appointed  for  the 
Tuatha  de  Danann  to  appear  again,  and, 
because  we  knew  ourselves  to  be  in  great 
danger  of  defeat,  we  changed  one  of  our 
women  into  the  semblance  of  a  shy  fawn, 
and  bade  her  seek  you  out  and  entice  you 
to  our  house.  It  is  our  hope  that  you,  the 
most  famous  warrior  in  Ireland,  will  fight 
with  us  when  we  encounter  the  Tuatha  de 
Danann  again." 

"  I  give  you  my  word,"  said  Fionn,  "  that 
the  one  thing  I  am  longing  for  more  than 
another  is  the  crash  of  meeting  shields,  and 
the  sound  of  spears  clashing  together." 

They  all  passed  the  night  in  feasting  and 
making  merry,  and  rested  during  the  morning 
hours ;  but  when  the  evening  was  near  Donn 
mac  Midir  said  to  Fionn  : 

"  Come ;  I  will  show  you  where  we  meet 
our  enemies  in  battle,"  and  he  led  Fionn  out 
to  the  broad  green  field  before  the  house. 

"  How  many  will  stand  up  against  you  ? " 
asked  Fionn. 

"  There  will  be  a  great  number,"  answered 


196       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Bonn.  "Bove  Derg  himself,  with  many 
hundreds  of  warriors,  will  be  here ;  Angus 
Oge,  from  Brugh-na-Boinne,  with  his  people ; 
and  Lir,  from  Slieve  Fuad,  with  all  his 
followers,  and  probably  many  others." 

"  It  will  indeed  be  a  great  fight,"  said 
Fionn  joyfully,  "and  many  noble  deeds  will 
be  wrought  before  the  sun  rises  again."  Then 
he  turned  to  the  Fians :  "  My  comrades,  we 
must  fight  as  we  have  never  fought  before, 
if  we  wish  to  see  our  homes  and  any  of  the 
Fianna  again." 

"O  Fionn,"  they  cried  indignantly,  "have 
you  ever  known  us  to  lack  courage  or  show 
faintness  in  the  time  of  danger  ? " 

"If  I  travelled  all  the  quarters  of  the 
earth,"  Fionn  answered,  "I  could  find  none 
more  fearless  than  you ;  and  having  you  with 
me  I  would  go  forth  cheerfully  against  un- 
numbered enemies."  Then,  addressing  Donn  : 
"  When  do  you  think  the  Tuatha  de  Danann 
will  attack  you  ? " 

"  When  the  day  is  merging  into  the  dark- 
ness of  night,  for  that  is  their  hour  of  power," 
Donn  replied. 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  197 

At  this  moment  one  of  Donn's  brothers 
came  running  swiftly  from  the  house,  and 
great  astonishment  was  in  his  face  and  his  voice. 

"  There  is  a  Fian's  shield  on  the  wall,  and 
a  noise  like  a  rushing  wind  is  issuing  from  it," 
he  cried,  "  and  the  spear  hanging  beneath  it  is 
struggling  and  writhing,  though  no  hand  is  near 
it,  and  a  strange,  weird  music  sounds  from  it." 

"  It  is  mine,"  said  Fionn,  "  and  the  demons 
imprisoned  in  it  make  a  deadly  song  of  war." 

They  hurried  into  the  house,  and  Fionn 
took  his  murmuring,  twisting  spear  into  his 
hand. 

"  Oh,  my  treasure,"  he  said  to  it  lovingly, 
"now  I  hear  your  voice  I  know  there  will 
be  a  fight  which  even  the  high  gods  will  leave 
their  thrones  to  witness." 

As  he  spoke  flames  ran  up  and  down 
the  blue-black  spear,  like  venomous  lightning 
gleams,  and  the  low  murmuring  changed  to  a 
clear,  triumphant  war-song : 

Carry  me  forth  in  thy  hand,  O  Fionn, 

I  would  battle  and  slay 
Host  upon  host  of  the  fighters  who  come 

When  the  night  follows  day. 


198       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Forged  was  I  by  Culain  the  Smith 

In  an  isle  of  the  sea ; 
Spells  were  woven  and  demons  called 

To  the  making  of  me. 

Lord  of  a  myriad  deaths  am  I, 

The  Taker  of  Life  ; 
I  the  invincible,  I  the  brave, 

The  lover  of  strife. 

Hold  me  fast  in  thy  hand,  O  Fionn, 

For  I  hear  with  glee, 
Feet  of  a  multitude  moving  swift, 

To  be  slain  by  me. 

The  spear  writhed  and  twisted  in  Fionn's 
hand,  and  pointed  to  the  doorway,  and  so  great 
was  the  strength  in  it  that  Fionn's  mighty  arm 
was  stretched  to  the  uttermost. 

"  Oh,  my  bright  treasure,"  he  cried  again  to 
it,  "  the  song  you  sing  is  indeed  to  my  mind, 
and  I  think  that  the  slaughter  you  will  do  this 
night  will  he  such  that  men  will  remember  you 
in  ages  yet  to  come.  But  listen,  what  is  that 
noise  ? "  he  said  to  Donn,  as  a  sound  like  sea- 
waves  rolling  over  shingle,  or  like  innumerable 
spears  clashing  on  shields,  fell  on  his  ear. 

"  The  warriors  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann 
are  coming,"  said  one  of  the  sons  of  Midir, 
rushing  in. 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  199 

Fionn  took  his  shield  from  the  wall,  and 
followed  by  the  little  band  of  brothers  and  his 
own  men,  walked  to  the  door  and  looked  out. 

"  Most  worthy  opponents  they  seem  to  be," 
he  said,  "and  much  I  like  their  appearance, 
with  their  strong,  keen-pointed  spears.  Oscur," 
he  called. 

"  Here  I  am,  chief  of  the  Fians,"  he 
answered. 

"Fight  more  bravely  than  ever  before  in  the 
coming  battle ;  you  also,  Diarmuid,  and  the 
son  of  Lugach.  And  in  the  battle  pay  no 
heed  to  Caeiltd  or  Oisin  or  myself,  but  watch 
over  the  safety  of  the  sons  of  Midir,  for  it 
would  be  an  unending  reproach  to  our  honour 
and  loyalty  were  any  harm  to  befall  them, 
since  they  have  sought  our  aid.  Take  your 
weapons  and  your  shields  now,  and  come  with 
me,  for  the  last  gleam  of  sunset  has  faded 
away,  and  the  hour  of  battle  is  near." 

Then  from  the  setting  in  of  darkness  to  the 
dawning  of  light  a  very  valiant  fight  was 
fought ;  but  above  all  the  din  and  noise  of  the 
ringing  spears  could  be  heard  the  fierce  song  of 
the  demons  in  Fionn's  magic  blade,  as  it  thrust 


200       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

and  hacked  its  way  through  whoever  chanced 
before  it.  Wherever  the  press  was  thickest  it 
made  an  open  path  ;  backwards  and  forwards 
like  lightning  flashes  it  darted,  and  no  man 
could  withstand  it,  or  the  strong  hand  that 
grasped  it.  And  as  the  foemen  gazed  on 
Fionn  dread  filled  their  hearts,  for  round  his 
head  shone  the  red  light  of  battle,  and  now 
and  again  a  form  like  a  fiery  serpent  reared 
and  twisted  about  him  ;  while  the  flames  that 
ran  from  haft  to  point  of  his  spear  lengthened 
themselves  out  and  fashioned  a  shape  of  fear, 
from  which  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  recoiled 
in  terror. 

So  they  fought  through  the  long  winter 
night,  until  a  grey  dawn  lightened  the  eastern 
sky,  when  the  Tuatha  de  Danann,  finally 
repulsed,  withdrew  from  the  battle,  mourning 
their  heaps  of  slain.  But  only  one  of  Midir's 
sons  was  killed,  though  all  the  other  brothers 
were  sorely  wounded.  As  for  the  Fians,  there 
was  not  one  single  inch  of  their  bodies  which 
had  not  its  spear-thrust,  and  for  days  after 
Fionn  could  not  lift  his  spear-arm,  so  stiff  and 
sore  it  was  from  the  work  of  that  night.  But 


ROUND  HIS  HEAD  SHONE  THE  RED  LIGHT  OF  BATTLE 


HOSTING  OF  SLIEVE-NA-MAN  201 

Oscur  and  Diarmuid  were  in  the  worst  plight ; 
and  the  life  would  have  gone  from  them  alto- 
gether had  not  Donn  mac  Midir  travelled  far 
to  find  Fingin,  the  ancient  faery  physician  of 
Slieve  Fuad,  who  had  more  knowledge  of  heal- 
ing herbs  than  all  other  doctors  in  Ireland. 

When  the  Fians  had  fully  recovered  from 
their  wounds  Fionn  called  a  council  of  the 
sons  of  Midir  and  the  Tuatha  de  Danann,  and 
they  agreed  there  should  be  peace  for  ever- 
more between  them.  Afterwards  Fionn  and 
his  men  returned  to  their  home  on  the  Hill  of 
Allen,  and  found  the  Fianna  mourning  them 
as  dead  ;  for  though  it  seemed  to  Fionn  and 
his  comrades  that  they  had  been  absent  only  a 
few  days,  to  their  amazement  the  Fianna  said 
their  absence  had  lasted  for  nearly  a  year  and 
a  half.  And  among  all  the  Fianna  that  night 
there  was  feasting  and  joy,  because  their  great 
hero  and  chief  had  returned  to  them. 


THE   DEATH   OF   OSCUR 

FIONN  had  grown  very  old ;  he  had  watched 
three  kings  reign  and  die — Conn  the  Hundred- 
Fighter  ;  Art  the  Lonely,  son  of  Conn  ;  and 
Cormac  mac  Art.  Cairbre,  son  of  Cormac, 
now  ruled  over  Ireland,  and  at  the  beginning 
of  his  reign  the  old  blood-feuds  and  jealousies 
between  the  Clan  Basna  and  Clan  Morna  re- 
awakened, for  Fionn  and  his  men  never  forgot 
that  Goll  mac  Morna  had  slain  Cumall,  the 
father  of  Fionn.  Cairbre,  too,  was  jealous  of 
the  power  that  Fionn  and  his  heroes  had 
attained  to,  so  it  was  an  easy  matter  for  the 
Clan  Morna  to  persuade  him  to  depose  Fionn 
and  the  Clan  Basna  from  the  headship  of  the 
Fianna  Eireann,  and  appoint  them  instead. 

At  this  time  there  was  discontent  between 
Fercorb,  King  of  Munster,  and  Cairbre ;  and 
when  Fionn  was  deposed  from  power  seven 

202 


THE  DEATH  OF  OSCUR       203 

battalions  of  the  Fianna  Eireann  gathered  to 
him,  and  marching  straightway  to  Fercorb, 
who  was  related  to  Fionn,  they  took  service 
with  him. 

Cairbre's  anger  against  Fionn  and  the 
southern  king  grew  still  greater  when  he 
heard  this.  He  called  his  followers  together 
and  said : 

"  I  have  taken  the  headship  of  the  Fianna 
Eireann  from  Fionn  and  his  clan,  and  com- 
manded them  to  lay  down  their  arms,  but  they 
have  joined  the  rebellious  King  of  Munster, 
and  paid  no  heed  to  my  words.  Long  years 
the  people  of  Ireland  have  suffered  silently 
under  their  powerful  sway  and  the  great 
tributes  they  imposed,  and  if  Fionn  still  gathers 
these  tributes,  and  imposes  his  will  on  you  as 
he  has  hitherto  done,  you  will  have  no  peace 
nor  will  you  gather  wealth  for  your  children. 
Men  of  Ireland,  will  you  still  continue  to  pay 
tribute  to  Fionn  and  allow  him  to  quarter  his 
Fianna  and  his  hounds  upon  you  as  he 
chooses,  or  will  you  band  yourselves  together 
and  fight  him  till  he  and  his  proud  clan  are 
subdued  ? " 


204      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

Most  of  the  people  were  delighted  with  the 
king's  words,  and  shouted  loudly  that  they 
would  give  no  more  tribute  to  Fionn,  nor  own 
his  authority.  They  were  not  chivalrous  as 
their  forefathers  had  been,  nor  did  they  appre- 
ciate the  noble  and  generous  deeds  and  the 
watchful  care  of  Fionn  and  his  companions. 
But  among  those  listening  to  Cairbre  were 
some  whose  sympathies  were  altogether  with 
the  aged  Fian -chief,  and  these  sent  swift 
messengers  to  Fionn,  saying  how  the  people 
were  gathering  in  rebellion  against  him. 

Fionn  took  counsel  with  Fercorb,  and  they 
sent  heralds  to  Cairbre  with  a  challenge  of 
war.  They  then  called  all  their  fighting 
men  together ;  but  Cairbre  called  on  the  other 
kings  and  their  nobles,  and  for  each  man 
that  Fionn  had  Cairbre  had  ten  times  as 
many. 

Notwithstanding  the  weight  of  years  that 
lay  upon  him,  Fionn  rejoiced  when  he  heard 
how  his  enemies  outnumbered  him. 

"It  will  be  a  great  fight,"  he  said  to  the 
Fians,  "  and  when  it  is  ended  many  of  us  who 
are  now  living  will  be  with  the  gods  in  the  Land 


THE  DEATH  OF  OSCUR       205 

of  the  Ever- Young.  As  for  myself,  I  am  old 
in  years,  and  of  waning  strength,  and  care  not 
how  soon  I  hear  the  call  of  the  Immortal 
Ones." 

"  Do  not  speak  like  that,"  said  Caeilte  mac 
Ronan,  "  for  with  your  death  1  think  the  glory 
of  the  Fianna  would  depart.  And  it  is  the 
wish  of  the  Fianna  that  you  let  your  son 
Oisin  command  them  in  the  forthcoming 
battle,  for  they  fear  lest  harm  should  befall 
you." 

But  Fionn  would  not  listen  to  that — he 
would  lead  his  army  himself,  he  said.  It  did 
not  take  him  long  to  complete  his  preparations, 
then  he  marched  up  to  Leinster  with  his  army, 
and  not  far  from  Dublin,  on  the  plain  of 
Gabhra — which  is  now  called  Garristown — he 
saw  the  tents  and  banners  of  Cairbre  and  his 
fighters,  and  foremost  among  them  were  the 
ancient  enemies  of  Fionn,  the  warriors  of  the 
Clan  Morna. 

Three  nights  Fionn  lay  encamped  on  the 
plain  of  Gabhra,  within  sight  of  his  enemy ; 
and  what  those  nights  were  to  Cairbre  and 
his  followers  I  do  not  know,  but  to  the  Fians 


206       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

they  were  nights  of  ill-omen.  Each  morning 
when  they  rose  Oscur's  banner  of  white  silk, 
embroidered  with  a  slender  rowan-tree  and 
clusters  of  flaming  berries,  had  fallen  to  the 
ground,  and  each  night  the  camp  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  sorrowful  moaning  sound,  as 
though  hosts  of  unseen  beings  were  lamenting 
the  fall  of  noble  heroes.  On  the  morning  of 
the  third  day  Fionn  sent  heralds  to  Cairbre, 
announcing  his  intention  to  open  the  battle, 
and  the  armies  arrayed  themselves  against 
each  other. 

But  before  they  entered  the  battle  the 
Fians  knelt  on  the  ground  and  kissed  it ;  then 
raised  the  warrior  cry.  Afterwards  they  flung 
themselves  against  the  great  army  of  King 
Cairbre,  and  the  bards  say  that  so  fierce  was 
the  fight  that  three  showers  rose  over  their 
heads  in  the  strife  :  a  shower  of  fire  from  their 
spears,  a  shower  of  sparks  from  their  clashing 
shields,  and  a  shower  of  blood  from  their 
wounds. 

Oscur  and  his  Fians  went  backwards  and 
forwards  through  the  hosts  of  Cairbre,  searching 
for  the  Clan  Morna,  determined  to  end  now 


THE  DEATH  OF  OSCUR       207 

and  for  ever  the  old  bitterness  and  enmity 
which,  though  smothered  and  hidden,  had 
existed  since  Cumall  had  died  by  the  hand 
of  Goll  mac  Morna.  At  length  they  found 
them,  and  for  hours  a  hard  fight  raged  round 
Oscur's  banner  ;  but  in  the  end  all  who  re- 
mained of  the  Clan  Morna  fled  before  the 
battle-fury  of  the  Fians. 

The  plain  of  Gabhra  was  covered  with  the 
dead  and  dying  of  both  armies  when  Oscur, 
panting,  wounded,  and  weary  almost  to  death, 
saw  Cairbre  riding  towards  him,  surrounded 
by  a  band  of  chosen  warriors.  Then  the  poets 
sang  to  Oscur,  chanting  the  deeds  of  bygone 
heroes  of  the  Clan  Basna ;  and  Oscur,  filled 
with  pride  in  his  race  and  name,  clashed  his 
spear  and  shield  together  and  rushed  forward 
to  meet  the  king.  Cairbre  watched  him 
coming,  and  made  a  swift  cast  of  his  spear, 
which  passed  through  Oscur's  body  and 
brought  him  to  the  ground.  A  cry  of  grief 
went  up  from  the  Fians,  and  a  shout  of  victory 
rose  from  the  king's  fighters ;  but  too  soon 
they  shouted,  for  Oscur,  rising  on  one  knee, 
threw  his  spear  with  such  unerring  aim  that 


208       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

the  king,  struck  through  the  heart,  fell  off 
his  horse  and  died.  With  the  death  of  Cairbre 
his  men  broke  and  fled,  and  the  few  Fians 
who  survived,  even  the  wounded  Oscur,  raised 
a  cry  of  triumph. 

Night  fell,  but  a  bright  moon  shone  over 
the  plain  of  death,  and  by  its  light  those  who 
were  living  searched  for  their  dead.  Hither 
came  Caeilte,  looking  for  his  six  sons,  and 
found  them  all  lying  dead.  Hither,  too, 
wandered  Oisin,  searching  for  his  brave  and 
chivalrous  son — "  Oscur,  who  never  lied,"  for 
so  the  bards  sang  of  him.  At  last  he  found 
Oscur,  leaning  on  his  left  arm,  his  battered 
shield  by  his  side,  his  broken  spear  still  in  his 
right  hand,  and  the  life-blood  streaming  from 
his  wounds. 

Oisin  stood  over  him  in  unutterable  woe. 
Then  Oscur  stretched  out  his  hand  to  his 
father  and  said: 

"  My  father,  I  thank  the  gods  that  you  are 
safe." 

But  Oisin,  because  of  sorrow  and  exceeding 
grief,  could  speak  no  word. 

Then  Caeilte',  grieving  over  his  dead  sons, 


AT  LAST  HE  FOUND  OSCUR,  LEANING  ON  HIS  LEFT  ARM 


THE  DEATH  OF  OSCUR       209 

came  to  where  Oscur  was  lying,  and  seeing 
Oisin's  grief  and  Oscur's  distress,  put  his  own 
trouble  on  one  side.  He  spoke  cheerfully  to 
Oscur  : 

"  Remember  other  battles,  Oscur,  when  we 
could  see  the  sunlight  shine  through  the 
spear-thrusts  in  your  body,  and  yet  you  were 
healed." 

"  There  is  no  healing  for  me  now,"  said 
Oscur.  "  Never  again  shall  I  see  the  sun  rise 
over  Ben  Edar,  or  hear  the  thrushes  sing  in 
Gleann-na-smol.  I  have  fought  my  last  battle 
and  run  my  last  chase,"  and  the  broken  spear 
slipped  out  of  his  hand. 

The  Fians  gathered  together  and  watched 
by  Oscur  through  the  night.  Silently  they 
sat,  saying  no  word  ;  nor,  with  all  his  pain, 
would  Oscur  add  to  their  grief  by  making  any 
moan.  In  the  cold  grey  dawn  the  aged  Fionn 
came  swiftly  towards  them  and  knelt  down 
by  his  dying  grandson's  side. 

"  O  Oscur,  light  of  my  eyes,  child  of  my 
heart,  would  that  I  were  lying  in  your  place," 
lamented  Fionn. 

Hearing   his   beloved    chiefs   voice   Oscur 


210      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

opened  his  dim  eyes  and  raised  himself  a  little 
from  the  ground. 

"  Grieve  not  for  me,"  he  whispered.  "  See, 
already  the  hosts  of  the  Ever-Living  Ones 
wait  to  guard  me  on  my  way  to  the  Land  of 
the  Living  Heart." 

He  tried  to  stretch  out  his  hand  to 
Fionn,  but  it  dropped  powerless  to  his  side, 
and  listening  to  Fionn's  grief  the  life  went 
from  him. 

Fionn  turned  away,  and  covering  his  face 
with  his  hands  wept  heavy,  unavailing  tears. 
Only  twice  during  his  life  did  he  weep :  once 
for  the  death  of  his  wise  hound  Bran,  and  now 
over  Oscur,  his  heart's  delight. 

The  handful  of  Fians  who  survived  raised 
the  three  cries  of  sorrow  over  the  dead  hero ; 
afterwards  they  prepared  him  for  the  grave. 
From  his  shoulders  to  his  feet  he  was  covered 
with  wounds,  only  his  face  remained  calm  and 
beautiful,  unmarked  by  any  hurt. 

They  covered  Oscur's  breast  with  his  banner 
— the  white  silken  banner  embroidered  with 
the  slender  rowan-tree  and  drooping  clusters 
of  blood-red  berries — then  they  carried  him 


THE  DEATH  OF  OSCUR       211 

on  their  spears  to  his  grave.  At  Gabhra  are 
the  graves  of  many  great  kings  and  heroes  ; 
but  the  grave  of  the  brave  and  chivalrous 
Oscur  is  the  greatest  of  all,  for  the  whole  rath 
of  Gabhra  belongs  to  him  alone. 


OISIN  GOES  TO  TIR-NA-NOGE 

AFTER  the  sorrowful  battle  of  Gabhra,  Fionn 
and  Oisin  and  Caeilte,  with  the  few  Fians  left 
to  them,  went  southward  to  Kerry.  They 
lingered  for  a  while  by  the  waters  of  Loch 
Lein,  resting  there  until  their  wounds  had 
healed  a  little ;  then  they  journeyed  to  the 
west,  and  at  last  reached  the  smooth  shining 
stretches  of  sand  at  Berramain. 

"  Here  will  we  stay  for  a  time,"  said  Fionn. 
"  Old  age  presses  upon  me,  and  my  heart  is 
heavy  with  sorrow  for  the  loss  of  my  noble 
Oscur  and  my  brave  Fians." 

They  had  not  been  long  at  Berramain  when 
one  evening,  as  they  were  gathered  together 
on  the  strand,  they  saw,  riding  out  of  the 
sunset  over  the  sea  towards  them,  a  beautiful 
young  girl  on  a  white  horse.  Golden  shoes 
were  on  the  horse's  feet,  bit  and  bridle  and 

212 


THEY  SAW,  RIDING  OUT  OF  THE  SUNSET,  A  BEAUTIFUL  YOUNG  GIRL 


OISIN  GOES  TO  TIR-NA-NOGE   213 

saddle  were  of  gold  too,  and  round  its  neck  a 
wreath  of  silver  apple  blossoms  shone.  The 
rider  came  nearer,  and  the  Fians  thought  that 
never  before  had  they  seen  such  a  delicate 
and  wonderful  beauty  as  this  girl  possessed. 
More  beautiful  she  was  than  any  queen  of  the 
world  who  had  ever  lived.  Her  eyes  wrere 
blue  as  the  hills  when  a  summer  twilight  lies 
over  them,  and  the  red-gold  crown  upon  her 
head  was  not  more  golden  than  her  hair, 
partly  hidden  by  an  opalescent  veil  hanging 
in  soft  folds  over  a  gleaming  silken  cloak. 

At  last  she  came  to  the  edge  of  the  sea, 
where  the  Fians  stood  watching  her,  and  her 
voice  sounded  like  sweet  music  as  she  spoke 
to  Fionn : 

"  It  is  a  long  road  from  my  country  to 
yours,  O  Fionn,  but  I  have  taken  it  in  search 
of  you." 

"  Beautiful  queen,"  said  Fionn,  "  I  am  old 
and  my  men  are  nearly  all  killed,  but  few  and 
sorrowful  as  we  are,  we  will  not  refuse  any 
service  you  may  ask  of  us.  Tell  us  now,  O 
fairest  of  women,  your  name  and  your  country, 
and  what  your  desire  is." 


214       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"  My  father  calls  me  Niav  of  the  Red-gold 
Hair,  and  he  is  lord  of  the  Island  of  Youth," 
she  answered. 

"Why  did  you  leave  it  to  come  to  this 
place  of  sorrow  and  death?"  asked  Fionn. 
"  Surely  you  would  not  leave  your  happy 
country  for  this  land  ? " 

"  For  love  of  your  son  Oisin  I  came  hither," 
said  Niav.  "Many  kings  and  princes  have 
loved  me,  but  to  none  did  I  give  my  love  till 
1  heard  of  the  deeds  of  your  brave  and  gentle 
son  Oisin  ;  and  if  he  does  not  give  me  his  love 
now,  and  come  with  me  to  the  Land  of  Youth, 
I  shall  never  have  happiness  again." 

When  Oisin  heard  Niav  speak  a  great  wave 
of  love  swept  over  him.  He  came  near  to  her, 
and  looking  into  her  face,  said  : 

"  Beautiful  woman,  to  whatever  country  you 
go  I  will  follow  you,  whether  it  is  near  or  far. 
And  had  I  the  choice  of  all  the  wisest  and  love- 
liest women  of  the  world,  it  is  you,  O  fair  and 
gentle  Niav,  I  would  choose  to  be  my  wife." 

"  If  that  is  true,"  said  Niav,  bending  down 
to  Oisin  from  her  saddle,  "  come  with  me  now 
to  Tir-na-noge — the  Land  of  the  Ever- Young." 


OISIN  GOES  TO  TIR-NA-NOGE   215 

"  Heed  not  her  words,  my  son,"  cried  Florin. 
"  Well  I  know  that  if  you  follow  her  to  the 
land  she  speaks  of — a  land  where  a  hundred 
years  seem  no  longer  than  a  day — we  shall 
never  see  you  again." 

"  Come  with  me,  Oisin,"  Niav  repeated. 
"  Whatever  you  wish  for  you  will  find  in 
my  country  ;  every  delightful  thing  you  can 
imagine  will  be  yours.  In  all  the  world  there 
is  no  other  country  like  mine.  There  you  will 
feel  neither  cold  nor  the  storms  of  winter  ;  old 
age  and  sorrow  will  never  touch  you,  but  un- 
ending youth  and  joyousness  shall  be  your 
portion.  My  father  wiU  encircle  your  head 
with  a  crown  of  light,  which  will  safeguard  you 
through  the  darkest  night  and  the  brightest 
day,  and  bring  you  through  any  storm  of  battle 
or  danger  that  may  threaten  you.  Never 
before  has  he  given  that  crown  to  any  man, 
though  many  have  sought  it.  He  will  give 
you  a  strong  shield  also,  and  the  spear  that 
could  pierce  it  is  not  yet  forged  ;  a  sword,  too, 
shall  be  yours,  which  has  never  failed  to  bring 
death  to  any  enemy  it  has  touched. 

"  You  will  get  hounds  as  swift  and  beautiful 


216       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

as  Bran,  and  horses  that  can  outrace  the 
tumultuous  wind.  Unnumbered  warriors  are 
there,  waiting  for  you  to  lead  them  ;  and 
the  soft  music  of  many  harps  shall  bring 
sleep  to  your  eyes  after  the  delights  of  the 
day. 

"  In  my  land  the  trees  are  green  from  the 
beginning  of  the  year  to  its  close,  and  their 
branches  bear  blossom  and  fruit  continually. 
You  will  find  there  no  lack  of  food  or  wine,  or 
gold  or  jewels,  or  anything  beautiful  that  you 
may  desire.  All  these  treasures  will  be  yours, 
Oisin,  with  many  others  that  I  have  not 
mentioned,  and  every  wish  that  lies  hidden  in 
your  heart  will  be  fulfilled  if  you  come  with 
me  to  Tir-na-noge." 

"  O  Oisin,  my  son,  the  years  lie  heavy  upon 
me  ;  leave  me  not  alone  in  the  darkness  of  age," 
Fionn  implored  before  Oisin  could  speak. 

But  Niav,  still  bending  from  the  saddle, 
laid  her  hand  on  Oisin's  shoulder,  and  sang 
to  him : 

Tarry  not  here,  Oisin,  the  sea-marcher  waits  you, 
Waits  to  carry  you  o'er  the  waves  and  dancing  foam, 

Far  to  a  land  whose  gates  will  open  in  glory, 

'Tis  the  Land  of  the  Ever- Living  will  be  your  home. 


OISIN  GOES  TO  TIR-NA-NOGE   217 

Linger  not  here,  Oisin,  the  twilight  is  flowering 

Over  the  hilly  seas  enfolding  Manannan's  world ; 
Heed  not  the  earth-born  words,  O  list  to  me  calling, 

Come  to  a  life  that  will  last  till  the  stars  are  hurled 
From  their  whirling  thrones  in  the  distant  heaven  spaces, 

Growing  dim  with  mist  and  the  dust  of  old  dead  suns ; 
Ride  with  me  now,  Oisin  ;  oh,  must  I  longer  call  you, 

To  the  Land  of  the  Living  Heart  and  the  Ever- Living 
Ones? 

"  O  Niav,  most  beautiful  of  women,"  said 
Oisin,  taking  her  hand  in  his,  "  I  will  follow 
you  through  the  whole  world,  and  to  the  end 
of  time,  for  love  of  yourself  alone.  It  is  of 
you  I  am  thinking,  it  is  you  I  love,  and  not 
the  treasures  you  can  give  me." 

Fionn,  when  he  heard  his  son's  words, 
uttered  a  sorrowful  cry,  for  he  knew  that 
Oisin  would  go  from  him ;  in  his  old  age  he 
would  be  bereft  of  the  last  of  his  children. 
The  Fians  gave  three  loud  cries  of  lamenta- 
tion too,  fearing  they  would  never  see  Oisin 
again  ;  but  he  smiled  on  them  and  said  to  his 
father : 

"  It  is  not  like  you  to  grieve  over  such  a 
small  matter.  I  shall  soon  return  ;  in  a  few 
weeks  I  will  come  back  to  you  here." 

He  kissed  his  father  and  Caeilte,  and  bade 


218       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

his  comrades  farewell,  then  sprang  on  to  the 
white  horse's  back.  Niav  shook  the  golden 
bridle,  and  the  horse  entered  the  sea  and  began 
to  walk  over  the  white-crested  waves.  Oisin 
turned  round,  and  waving  his  hand  to  his 
father  and  friends,  said  again :  "  I  shall  soon 
return." 

Niav  spoke  to  the  milk-white  horse,  and  it 
raced  over  the  high,  swift  waves,  following  the 
path  of  light  made  by  the  setting  sun  on  the 
sea.  Fionn  and  the  Fians  watched  it  grow 
smaller  and  smaller  in  the  distance,  then,  when 
they  could  discern  it  and  its  riders  no  longer, 
they  knelt  on  the  sand  and  keened  over  Oisin 
as  though  he  was  already  dead. 


THE  PASSING  OF  THE  F1ANNA 

AFTER  the  departure  of  Oisin  with  Niav, 
Fionn  and  his  men  remained  many  months  at 
Berramain.  Every  morning  at  sunrise  Fionn 
would  shade  his  eyes  with  his  hands  and  gaze 
steadily  over  the  sea,  longing  and  watching 
for  the  return  of  his  son.  Every  sunset,  too, 
he  would  keep  watch,  but  Oisin  did  not  return. 
A  year  passed  by,  then  Fionn  and  Caeilte', 
with  their  Fians,  travelled  eastward  to  settle  a 
dispute  they  had  with  some  of  the  dwellers  on 
the  Eoyne ;  and  it  was  in  the  fighting  there, 
so  one  legend  says,  that  Fionn  met  with  his 
death.  Another  old  story  says  that  Fionn  did 
not  meet  his  death  in  such  a  manner,  but 
that,  when  quite  a  boy,  he  was  put  under  geasa 
(vow)  to  make  a  certain  mighty  leap  once 
every  year ;  and  this  year,  owing  to  old  age, 
and  the  feebleness  caused  by  grief  and  the 


219 


220       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

hurts  he  had  received  at  the  battle  of  Gabhra, 
he  failed  to  make  the  leap  and  was  killed. 
You  remember,  however,  that  Fionn's  mother, 
Muireen,  belonged  to  the  Tuatha  de  Danann 
— or  Sidhe  (Shee)  as  they  are  now  called — and 
it  is  more  likely  that  Fionn  was  not  killed  at 
all,  but  went  away  to  join  his  kindred  in  one  of 
their  pleasant  invisible  dwelling-places.  Indeed 
it  is  recorded  that  Mongan,  a  king  of  Ulster 
who  lived  at  the  beginning  of  the  seventh 
century,  was  in  reality  Fionn,  who  had  returned 
to  earth  in  a  different  body. 

Now  for  Caeilte  the  homes  of  men  became 
unendurable.  He,  too,  had  suffered  many 
griefs  and  losses  during  the  past  year  :  at  the 
battle  of  Gabhra  his  sons  were  all  killed,  Oscur 
the  brave  was  dead,  Oisin  had  gone  with  a  faery 
maiden  to  an  enchanted  land,  and  now  Fionn 
had  passed  from  him,  and  he  was  left  alone 
and  desolate. 

He  called  the  Fians  to  him,  and  said : 

"  My  comrades,  the  power  of  the  Fianna  is 

broken,  nor  do  I  think  it  will  evermore  attain 

to   its  former   might.     We   have   still   many 

powerful  friends  scattered  throughout  Ireland, 


PASSING  OF  THE  FIANNA    221 

who  will  be  glad  to  number  you  among  their 
fighters  if  you  choose.  As  for  myself,  the  joy 
of  our  roving  and  adventurous  life  has  gone 
from  me,  and  I  intend  to  go  to  the  house  of 
the  Sidhe  at  Assaroe,  and  there  seek  forgetful- 
ness  of  my  sorrows.  If  I  thought  Oisin  would 
return  I  would  remain  with  you  ;  but  it  is  not 
likely  he  will  ever  leave  the  pleasant  Land  of 
Youth." 

The  Fians  were  silent  for  a  time,  then 
eighteen  of  them,  one  after  another,  said  they 
would  accompany  Caeilte  if  he  would  give 
them  permission,  and  the  others  said  they 
would  travel  back  to  Berramain,  for  Oisin 
might  return  some  day.  What  happened  to 
those  who  vainly  waited  for  Oisin  I  do  not 
know — with  their  departure  from  Caeilt^  they 
seem  to  have  passed  out  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  ancient  chroniclers. 

We  know,  however,  that  Caeilte  and  his 
eighteen  followers  went  to  the  enchanted 
house  of  the  Sidhe  at  Assaroe,  for  when  St. 
Patrick  preached  a  strange  and  new  doctrine 
in  Ireland,  two  hundred  years  later,  the  old 
scribes  wrote  that  Caeilte'  and  his  men  came 


222       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

forth  from  Assaroe  and  appeared  to  Patrick, 
telling  him  the  history  and  adventures  of 
Fionn  and  the  Fianna  Eireann. 

In  the  old  books  it  is  also  written  that, 
early  in  the  seventh  century,  Caeilte  again 
appeared — this  time  to  Mongan,  King  of  Ulster. 
Mongan  had  a  dispute  with  his  chief  bard 
Forgall  as  to  the  death-place  of  a  king,  Fothad 
Airgtech,  whom  Caeilte'  had  slain.  Forgall 
said  the  king  was  killed  at  some  place  in 
Lei nster,  but  Mongan  said  he  got  his  death- 
blow near  the  Larne  Water,  in  Ulster.  The 
bard  was  so  angry  with  Mongan  for  daring  to 
contradict  him  that  he  threatened  to  place 
spells  upon  the  king  and  all  his  household, 
and  insisted  that  Mongan  should  prove  the 
truth  of  the  statement  he  had  made ;  if  he 
failed  to  prove  it  within  three  days  all  his 
possessions,  and  even  himself,  were  to  become 
the  bard's  property. 

Knowing  that  he  had  made  a  true  state- 
ment, and  that  its  truth  would  be  proved  in 
some  manner  or  other,  Mongan  cheerfully 
agreed  to  this  condition.  Two  days  passed, 
and  part  of  the  third  day  also ;  then  Forgall 


PASSING  OF  THE  FIANNA     223 

came  to  M ongan,  and  said  that  he  had  come 
to  take  possession  of  both  him  and  his  property. 
Mongan  only  replied  :  "  Wait  until  the  close 
of  day." 

Evening  came,  and  Mongan  was  in  his 
palace,  surrounded  by  the  warriors  and  nobles 
of  Ulster.  His  queen  sat  beside  him,  weeping 
and  full  of  sorrow,  for  in  little  more  than  an 
hour  the  three  days  would  expire,  and  still 
Mongan  had  made  no  effort  to  prove  his  word. 

"  Why  do  you  weep  ? "  said  M  ongan  ;  "  do 
you  not  know  that  aid  is  drawing  nearer  and 
nearer  to  us  ?  Even  now  I  hear  the  feet  of 
our  helper  as  he  strides  over  the  hills  and 
rivers  on  his  way  here."  He  knew  that 
Caeilte  was  coming  to  his  assistance,  though 
none  of  the  others  seemed  to  see  or  hear  any- 
thing unusual. 

He  had  scarcely  finished  speaking  when 
an  extremely  tall  and  handsome  warrior,  carry- 
ing a  long  spear-shaft  in  his  hand,  suddenly 
appeared  in  the  great  hall  of  the  palace,  and 
corroborated  the  assertion  Mongan  had  made 
to  Forgall. 

"  I  remember  it  well,"  said  the  warrior,  "  see- 


224      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

ing  that  I  killed  him  myself.  The  spear-head 
from  this  shaft  in  my  hand  passed  through 
his  body,  and  buried  itself  in  the  earth  beyond 
him.  I  was  with  you  at  the  time,"  he  said  to 
Mongan.  Then  turning  round  to  the  people 
assembled  in  the  hall,  he  said  to  them  :  "  I  was 
with  Fionn." 

"  Be  silent,  Caeilte,"  said  Mongan  ;  "  these 
secrets  should  not  be  spoken." 

Caeilte  then  turned  to  Forgall,  and  said  to 
him : 

"  Come  with  me ;  I  will  show  you  where 
Fothad  is  buried,  and  at  the  head  of  his  tomb 
you  will  find  a  pillar,  and  on  it  is  written  in 
Ogham  :  '  Here  is  Fothad  Airgtech.  He  was 
fighting  against  Fionn  when  Caeilte  slew  him.' ' 

Every  one  in  the  dun  followed  Caeilte,  who 
pointed  out  to  them  the  place  where  the 
spear-head  was  sunk  deep  in  the  ground,  and 
the  burial-place  of  the  king  with  its  Ogham 
inscription.  Then,  when  the  truth  of  Mongan's 
word  was  proved,  Caeilte  left  them  and  re- 
turned again  to  his  invisible  home. 

Another  time  a  king  of  Ireland  was  travel- 
ling through  a  dense  forest,  and  the  night  was 


'  I  AM  THE  CANDLE-HOLDER  OF  THE  KING/  THE  STRANGER  REPLIED 


PASSING  OF  THE  FIANNA     225 

so  dark  that  he  could  not  tell  how  he  was 
going.  Suddenly  he  was  confronted  by  a  tall 
warrior,  with  shining  star-like  eyes,  and  holding 
a  lighted  torch  in  his  hand.  He  took  the 
bridle  of  the  king's  horse,  and  led  it  through 
the  wood  on  to  the  road.  Then  the  king  said 
to  him : 

"  Who  and  what  are  you  ? " 

"  I  am  the  candle-holder  of  the  king,"  the 
stranger  replied. 

"  I  think,"  said  the  king,  "  the  two  gentle 
eyes  of  Caeilte  shine  in  the  holder." 

"  It  is  a  true  word  you  have  spoken,"  said 
the  warrior,  smiling,  and  disappeared. 

The  old  stories  do  not  say  that  Caeilte' 
appeared  any  more  among  men.  But  perhaps, 
some  summer  evening  when  the  late  dusk  is 
falling  over  hill  and  plain  and  the  cockchafers 
are  beginning  their  curious  droning  flight,  if 
you  or  I,  or  others  who  love  these  ancient 
heroic  stories,  happen  to  be  in  that  part  of 
Donegal  where  the  Hill  of  Assaroe  is,  Caeilte' 
may  come  forth  from  his  secret  home  of  en- 
chantment, his  tall  spear  in  his  hand,  and  his 
eyes  shining  with  a  gentle  and  chivalrous 

Q 


226       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

light.  Perhaps,  too,  he  would  himself  tell  us 
many  stories  and  adventures — relating  to  him- 
self and  the  great  Fian- chief  and  his  heroes — 
which  the  passing  centuries  have  not  preserved 
to  us. 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN 

WE  have  followed  the  wanderings  of  Caeilte 
through  many  years ;  we  must  now  go  back 
to  Oisin,  whom  we  left  journeying  with  Niav 
on  the  white  horse  to  the  Land  of  the  Ever- 
Young.  And  this  is  the  story  which  Oisin 
related  to  St.  Patrick,  two  hundred  years 
later,  when  he  returned  to  Ireland  from  Tir- 
na-noge. 

"  Over  unnumbered  leagues  of  sea  the  white 
horse  sped,  outracing  the  swift  sea-birds  and 
the  rushing  wind.  Many  curious  and  startling 
sights  I  beheld,  and  often  I  asked  Niav  to 
check  the  horse's  speed,  so  that  I  could 
observe  them  more  closely. 

"  How  far  we  had  travelled  I  do  not  know, 
when  we  came  to  a  region  of  islands,  inhabited 
by  strange  and  terrible  beings  and  animals, 

227 


228      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

As  we  n  eared  the  first  island  a  sound  of 
hammering  fell  on  my  ears,  and  looking  before 
me  I  saw  that  the  island  was  peopled  by  dark 
and  mighty  men,  cat-headed  and  dog-headed, 
who  moved  immense  red-hot  masses  of  metal 
about  as  easily  as  though  they  were  small 
balls.  I  requested  Niav  to  hurry  by  this 
place,  but  before  we  had  passed  it  one  of  the 
smiths,  seeing  that  we  were  hurrying  onward, 
seized  a  huge  mass  of  the  glowing  metal  in  his 
hands  and  hurled  it  after  us.  The  iron  fell 
into  the  sea,  which  hissed  and  boiled  and  sent 
up  a  high  column  of  steam,  but  we  were 
unhurt. 

"  The  next  island  we  came  to  was  surrounded 
by  a  rampart  of  fire.  A  terrible  bellowing 
smote  our  ears  as  we  approached,  and  on  the 
shore  we  saw  a  weird,  gigantic  animal — like 
nothing  I,  at  least,  had  ever  seen  before — 
which  rushed  madly  to  and  fro.  It  had  a 
head  like  a  lion,  and  its  body  resembled  that 
of  a  horse,  and  when  it  caught  sight  of  us  it 
stood  upright  on  its  hind  legs  and  pawed  the 
air ;  then  the  bones  and  flesh  inside  the  skin 
began  to  turn  and  twist  about,  first  one  way, 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN       229 

then  another,  but  the  skin  did  not  move  at  all, 
and  its  eyes  glared  steadily  and  horribly  at  me 
the  whole  time.  In  all  the  years  of  my  life 
before  I  had  never  known  fear,  but  now  a 
trembling  and  faintness  came  over  me. 

"  '  Is  there  no  other  way  to  your  land  except 
by  these  islands  filled  with  evil  beings  ? '  I 
asked  Niav. 

" '  They  are  but  shadows  of  things  which 
have  been,'  she  replied,  'and  if  your  courage 
does  not  falter  they  cannot  harm  you.  AU 
who  go  to  my  country  must  pass  by  the 
Islands  of  Shades.' 

"  We  rode  on,  passing  many  other  islands. 
From  one,  overhung  by  dark  mists,  came  the 
sound  of  weeping  and  lamentation ;  from 
another  came  the  sound  of  laughter,  and  I  saw 
that  its  inhabitants  were  wandering  aimlessly 
about,  laughing  continually  as  they  moved.  I 
thought  they  were  a  senseless  people,  to  laugh 
without  any  apparent  reason,  but  Niav  said 
they  were  shadows  also. 

"  Now  the  sky  darkened  with  heavy  masses 
of  clouds,  and  a  strong  hot  wind  swept  out  of 
the  south  upon  us.  Not  a  gleam  of  light  was 


230       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

to  be  seen  in  any  point  of  the  heavens  ;  not- 
withstanding the  darkness  above  and  around  us 
the  sea  shone  as  though  on  fire.  Mountainous 
waves  rose  and  raced  each  other,  and  I 
thought  that  death  would  certainly  overtake 
me  in  the  midst  of  the  sea ;  but  Niav  laughed 
and  bade  me  observe  how  the  white  horse 
rode  over  the  tempestuous  waves  without  even 
wetting  its  fetlocks. 

"  '  Must  all  who  go  to  your  country  pass  by 
these  perils  ? '  I  asked  Niav  again,  for  I  knew 
some  who  had  been  to  Tir-na-noge,  but  I 
had  never  heard  them  speak  of  their  journey 
thither. 

" '  There  is  no  other  way  for  those  who  seek 
the  Island  of  the  Ever -Young,'  answered 
Niav.  *  Soon,  however,  we  shall  reach  a 
pleasanter  region.' 

"  The  wind  ceased,  and  the  sky  grew  bright 
again.  In  a  little  while  we  came  to  a  very 
calm  sea,  green  as  grass  and  so  clear  that 
looking  down  I  could  see  at  the  bottom  a 
beautiful  shining  city  of  white  marble  palaces, 
and  smooth  flowery  lawns  where  multitudes 
of  people  walked.  The  music  of  their  speech 


WE  RODE  ON,  PASSING  MANY  OTHER  ISLANDS 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN       231 

and  laughter  rose  to  my  ears,  and  I  asked 
Niav  what  land  it  was  that  lay  hidden  under 
the  water. 

"  '  That  is  Tir-fa-tonn — the  country  under 
the  waves,'  Niav  replied. 

" '  It  would  be  pleasant  to  rest  there  for  a 
time,'  I  said. 

" '  I  must  go  to  my  own  country,'  said  Niav. 
'  Do  you  wish  to  stop  here  ?  If  you  do  you 
will  not  see  me  again  for  many  ages.' 

"  I  had  no  desire  to  be  where  Niav  was  not, 
so  we  rode  on.  After  a  time  there  fled  by  us 
a  fawn,  and  swiftly  chasing  it  a  white  dog 
with  red  ears.  Next  came  a  fair  young  girl 
on  a  horse,  carrying  a  branch  of  golden  apples 
in  her  outstretched  hand,  and  closely  following 
her  a  young  man  on  a  white  horse,  covered  by 
a  network  of  gold  silken  thread,  holding  in  his 
right  hand  a  shining  unsheathed  sword.  I 
was  eager  to  join  in  the  chase,  but  Niav  said : 

"  '  O  Oisin,  son  of  Fionn,  heed  them  not ; 
these  also  are  passing  shadows.' 

"  Now  there  came  sweeping  through  the 
air  a  gigantic  bird,  whose  outspread  wings  hid 
a  great  space  of  the  sky.  Seven  golden  rays 


232       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

shone  round  its  head,  the  rest  of  it  was  white 
as  the  swan's  breast.  When  it  saw  Niav  it 
swooped  down,  and  hovering  over  her  sang  a 
very  melodious  song.  Then  it  turned  round, 
and  preceding  us  flew  straight  to  the  west. 

"  In  a  few  minutes,  it  seemed  to  me,  the 
horse  began  to  slacken  speed,  and  rising  out  of 
the  sea  before  us  I  saw  a  beautiful  sunny  land, 
its  wide  plains  covered  with  jewel-like  flowers, 
and  hills  that  shimmered  with  rainbow  colours 
in  the  distance.  Not  far  from  the  shore  stood 
a  royal  dun,  with  curious  patterns  worked  in 
precious  stones  on  its  walls.  Many  other 
palaces  were  scattered  about,  and  cheerful 
sun-chambers  for  the  women. 

"  *  What  fair  and  pleasant  place  is  this  ? '  I 
inquired  of  Niav. 

"  *  This  is  my  land,'  she  proudly  answered  ; 
*  and  all  I  have  told  you  about  it  is  true,  and 
there  will  be  fulfilled  all  the  promises  I  have 
made  you.' 

"On  the  shore  a  stately  and  glittering 
company  of  warriors  awaited  us.  At  their 
head  stood  Niav's  father,  a  tall  man  of  very 
noble  and  dignified  appearance,  wearing  a  cloak 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN       233 

of  sun-coloured  silk,  and  on  his  head  a  red- 
gold  crown.  The  queen  stood  by  his  side, 
attended  by  a  number  of  fair  young  girls,  and 
when  the  king  and  queen  had  greeted  Niav 
they  welcomed  me. 

"  *  There  is  no  man  we  welcome  more  gladly 
to  our  land,  noble  Oisin,'  the  king  said.  '  For 
love  of  you  our  daughter  Niav  travelled  the 
wide  sea  ;  for  love  of  her  you  left  your  father 
and  friends  and  country ;  now  our  fair  and 
gentle  daughter  shall  be  given  to  you  to  be 
your  wife  for  ever.  Peace  and  joy  and  lasting 
youth  will  here  be  yours  too,  and  all  the 
delights  that  the  heart  can  desire  or  the  mind 
imagine  you  will  find  awaiting  you.' 

"  I  am  not  usually  lacking  in  speech, 
Patrick,  as  you  know,  but  there  was  such  a  high 
and  splendid  dignity  about  the  king  that  I 
could  find  no  words  with  which  to  thank  him 
for  his  gracious  welcome  ;  I  could  only  bend 
my  knee  before  him  in  silent  homage. 

"  Then  we  went  into  the  dun,  where  a  great 
feast  was  prepared  in  honour  of  our  coming. 
For  ten  days  we  feasted  and  rejoiced ;  at  the 
close  of  that  time  Niav  became  my  wife. 


234       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 


<<  ri 


Truly,  Patrick,  there  is  no  other  country 
under  the  sun,  or  above  it,  that  equals  in 
beauty  and  delight  the  Land  of  the  Ever- 
Young.  If  you  could  once  behold  it  you 
would  cease  your  perpetual  singing  of  praises 
about  that  heaven  you  have  never  seen." 

"  You  are  a  profane  old  man,  Oisin,"  said 
Patrick,  "  and  all  the  prayers  that  I  have 
prayed  to  God  in  heaven  on  your  account  have 
not  yet  availed  to  change  you.  But  your 
story  interests  me,  so  proceed." 

"  Time  passed  quickly  and  joyously  in  Tir- 
na-noge.  Two  sons  Niav  gave  to  me,  and  a 
daughter,  who  was  so  beautiful  that  I  called  her 
'  The  Flower  of  Women.'  But  one  day  I  felt 
a  great  longing  to  see  my  father  and  friends 
once  more,  and  going  to  the  king  and  my  wife 
I  asked  them  to  grant  me  permission  to  visit 
my  own  country  again. 

" '  It  is  a  sorrowful  request  you  make,  Oisin,' 
said  Niav ;  '  but  if  you  wish  to  go  I  will  not 
hinder  you,  though  I  fear  that  if  you  once 
leave  here  you  will  never  return.' 

"  I  reassured  her,  and  bade  her  put  her  doubts 
away,  for  the  white  horse  with  golden  hoofs 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN       235 

would  certainly  bring  me  back  to  her  again. 
When  I  was  ready  for  my  journey  Niav  stood 
by  my  side,  and  looking  up  into  my  face  said, 
very  solemnly : 

"  '  Remember  well  what  I  now  say  to  you, 
Oisin.  If  once  you  alight  from  the  horse,  or 
place  your  feet  to  the  ground,  you  will  never 
return  to  me.  And  I  tell  you  your  journey 
will  be  in  vain,  for  Fionn  and  his  Fians  are  no 
longer  in  the  land ;  instead  of  your  great 
warriors  you  will  find  a  multitude  of  weak, 
sad -faced  men,  who  say  prayers  to  a  strange 
God  night  and  day ;  instead  of  the  cheerful 
barking  of  hounds  and  sound  of  the  chase 
you  will  hear  the  melancholy  ringing  of  bells 
wherever  you  go.  Again  I  say  to  you,  Oisin, 
let  nothing  tempt  you  to  dismount  from  the 
horse  ;  if  you  do  you  will  never  return  to  this 
country,  for  old,  old  age  will  fall  upon  you  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  For  the  third  time  I 
say  to  you ;  whatever  happens  do  not  alight 
from  the  horse.  Alas  !  a  great  grief  is  in  my 
heart,  for  I  think  I  shall  never  see  you  again.' 

"  I  put  my  arms  round  her  and  kissed  her, 
and  said  I  would  remember  her  words,  and 


236       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

that  not  even  my  dear  father  would  keep  me 
from  her  side  for  long.  Then  I  mounted  the 
white  horse,  and  swifter  than  the  wind  I 
travelled  the  waves  until,  in  the  soft  clear 
dawn  of  a  spring  morning,  I  saw  the  cliffs  and 
green  hills  of  my  country  appear. 

"  I  came  to  the  silver- white  sands  of  Berra- 
main,  where  I  had  left  my  father  and  comrades, 
but  no  sign  of  their  presence  or  any  dwellings 
there  could  I  see.  I  shouted  the  war-cry  of 
the  Fianna,  and  listened  and  waited  for  the 
sound  of  my  father's  mighty  tread  and  the 
hounds'  tumult,  but  no  sound,  except  the 
lapping  of  the  wavelets  and  the  rustling  of 
the  leaves,  disturbed  the  silence. 

"Across  plains  and  over  hills  I  continued  my 
journey,  marvelling  that  the  country  should 
have  changed  so  much  during  my  short  absence, 
for  many  of  the  thick  forests  I  so  well  remem- 
bered hunting  through  with  Fionn  and  the 
Fians  had  disappeared,  and  in  some  places 
there  was  hardly  a  tree  left  standing.  At  last 
I  stopped  before  a  group  of  puny  men  and 
women,  and  questioned  them. 

" '  Tell  me,'  said  I,  *  where  Fionn  and  his 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN       287 

Fians  are,  and  whether  they  are  engaged  in 
battle  or  the  chase  ? ' 

"They  regarded  me  with  amazement 
and  fear — why  they  feared  me  I  do  not 
know,  for  I  never  harmed  any  one  except 
in  rightful  battle  or  dispute.  Then,  as 
no  one  answered  me,  I  repeated  my  question 
again,  saying  that  when  the  Fians  asked 
questions  it  was  not  their  wont  to  be  kept 
waiting  for  answers.  One  of  the  men,  in  a 
very  weak  and  trembling  voice,  then  spoke : 

"  '  Great  lord,'  he  said,  '  our  bards  sing  of  a 
mighty  hero,  Fionn,  who  lived  long  ages  ago, 
and  of  the  deeds  of  him  and  his  Fians,  who 
were  the  bravest  warriors  the  world  has  ever 
seen.  They  sing,  too,  of  Oisin  his  son,  who 
score  upon  score  of  years  ago  followed  a  faery 
maiden  to  the  Land  of  the  Ever -Young,  and 
from  that  country  he  has  never  returned. 
Some  of  the  old  stories  say  that  Fionn  died  of 
grief  because  his  son  had  gone  from  him.  But 
one  thing  is  certain,  that  it  is  many  generations 
since  the  noble  Fionn  and  his  Fians  lived  and 
died.' 

"  I  was  silent.     I  could  not  imagine  that  my 


238       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

father  and  comrades  had  ceased  to  live.  Then 
I  turned  from  the  wondering  men  and  women, 
and  travelled  as  quickly  as  I  could  to  my  old 
home  on  the  Hill  of  Allen.  But  desolation 
reigned  there.  Where  there  had  formerly 
been  a  great  dun  only  a  few  broken  walls 
were  standing,  and  the  wreeds  and  wild  flowers 
were  growing  where  my  father  and  companions 
had  sat  at  many  a  banquet. 

"  Heavy  sorrow  enfolded  me,  still  I  could 
not  believe  that  my  father  was  not  at  some 
other  of  his  many  dwellings.  North  and  south 
and  west  and  east  I  searched  for  him,  but 
could  not  find  him.  At  length  I  came  to 
Gleann-na-smol,  which  was  one  of  his  favourite 
places,  and  the  only  spot  in  Ireland  I  had  not 
searched ;  if  I  did  not  find  him  there  I  should 
know  he  was  no  longer  living,  as  Niav  had 
foretold  me,  and  I  would  then  turn  my  horse's 
head  to  the  west  and  rejoin  Niav  and  my 
children  again. 

"  I  travelled  slowly,  looking  on  all  sides  and 
listening  eagerly  for  the  sound  of  the  hunting- 
cry  or  the  laugh  of  my  friends.  Then  I  heard 
a  great  commotion  before  me,  and  hope  sprang 


THE  RETURN  OF  OISIN        239 

up  in  my  heart  that  at  last  my  search  was 
ended.  But  on  going  forward  I  found  that 
it  was  only  a  number  of  little  men  struggling 
to  raise  a  big  rock  from  its  place  in  the  ground. 
It  had  fallen  back  on  some  of  them,  who  were 
crying  and  shouting  over  their  little  hurts.  I 
tell  you,  Patrick,  it  was  not  of  men  like  those 
that  the  Fianna  was  composed.  We  would 
not  have  employed  them  even  for  our  horse- 
boys. 

"  Unobserved  I  looked  at  their  puny  efforts 
for  a  moment,  then  they  saw  me,  and  in  their 
astonishment  let  the  rock  fall  back  more 
heavily  on  their  comrades,  who  would  surely 
have  been  crushed  to  death  had  not  I,  taking 
pity  on  them,  stooped  sideways  from  my 
saddle,  and  with  one  hand  I  plucked  the  rock 
from  the  earth  and  hurled  it  fifty  yards  away. 
Alas  !  it  was  my  undoing,  for  with  the  effort 
I  made  the  golden  saddle- strap  broke,  and  I 
slipped  to  the  ground. 

"As  I  touched  the  earth  I  remembered 
Niav's  words,  but  too  late.  Quickly  as  a 
flying  shadow  the  white  horse  disappeared, 
and  still  more  quickly  a  withered,  shrivelled 


240       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

old  age  came  upon  me,  and  left  me  feeble  and 
helpless  as  you,  O  Patrick,  now  behold  me. 
It  is  my  unending  grief  that  never  again  shall 
I  see  Niav  and  my  dear  children ;  my  noble 
father  and  comrades  have  all  gone  from  me, 
and  I,  the  last  of  the  Fianna,  am  left  alone, 
with  a  heart  more  full  of  sorrow  than  was  any 
man's  ever  before." 


THE   SHIELD   OF   MANANNAN 

UNNUMBERED  centuries  ago  there  came  to 
Ireland  a  wise  race  of  beings  called  the  Tuatlia 
de  Danann.  How  and  whence  they  came  is 
a  mystery :  the  very  earliest  legends  say  they 
came  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  from  an  un- 
known world,  or  else  they  came  out  of  the 
heavens.  The  same  legendary  history  says 
that  when  the  Tuatha  de  Danann — who  were 
the  people  of  light  and  goodness — arrived  they 
found  Ireland  populated  by  a  gigantic  and 
dark  race  of  beings  ;  this  was  the  race  of  the 
Fomorians,  who  were  the  people  of  evil,  and 
naturally  the  enemies  of  the  Tuatha  de 
Danann.  The  king  of  the  Fomorians  was  the 
great  giant,  Balor  of  the  Death -giving  Eye, 
so  called  because  he  had  an  eye  in  the  centre 
of  his  forehead,  which  dealt  death  to  whoever 
he  looked  at.  When  he  wished  to  slay  an 

241  R 


242       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

enemy  he  opened  this  eye ;  at  other  times  he 
kept  it  closed. 

The  Fomorians  resented  the  mysterious 
advent  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann,  and  Balor, 
placing  himself  at  the  head  of  his  people,  led 
them  in  battle  against  the  Tuatha  de  Danann, 
who  were  assembled  on  the  plain  of  Moytura, 
in  the  north  of  Sligo,  and  there  the  legends 
say  this  battle  of  the  gods  was  fought. 

Every  time  Balor  opened  his  eye  of  death 
on  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  they  fell  in  long 
lines,  just  as  corn  falls  before  the  reaper. 
Even  Nuada,  the  king  of  the  Tuatha  de 
Danann,  was  struck  by  its  venomous  glance, 
and  seeing  him  fall  Lugh  Lam-Fada — who  was 
so  wise  that  he  was  called  the  Master  of  all 
Knowledge — determined  to  avenge  him.  He 
walked  to  within  a  short  distance  of  Balor, 
who  at  that  moment  had  his  evil  eye  covered  ; 
but  when  Balor  saw  this  new  and  powerful 
enemy  standing  before  him,  with  a  sling  that 
shone  like  white  fire  in  his  hand,  slowly,  very 
slowly,  he  began  to  uplift  the  heavy  eyelid 
from  his  evil  eye.  Then,  before  Balor  could 
look  at  him,  with  all  his  might  Lugh  slung  a 


THE  SHIELD  OF  MAN  ANNAN  243 

fiery  ball,  which  entered  Balor's  eye  of  death, 
and  killed  him.  When  the  Fomorians  saw 
their  king  fall  they  fled  from  the  plain  of 
Moytura,  leaving  the  dead  Balor  on  the  battle- 
field ;  leaving,  also,  the  Tuatha  de  Danann 
the  victors  and  masters  of  Ireland.  It  was 
then  the  Mor  Riga  sang  her  wonderful  song  of 
concord,  beginning,  "  Peace  up  to  heaven,"  of 
which  I  have  told  you  before. 

After  the  flight  of  the  Fomorians,  Lugh 
walked  round  the  battle-field,  noting  those  of 
his  people  who  were  slain.  Soon  he  came  to 
the  giant  Balor,  and  not  knowing  what  magical 
power  he  might  still  possess,  though  dead,  he 
cut  off  Balor's  head,  and  ordered  some  of  his 
men  to  place  it  high  in  the  fork  of  a  hazel-tree, 
so  that  the  rains  and  winds  of  heaven  might 
cleanse  it  of  its  evil  power.  This  was  done, 
but  the  venomous  dropping  from  Balor's  eye 
of  death  gradually  killed  the  tree. 

Many  years  later  Manannan  was  walking 
through  a  grove  of  hazel-trees,  which  he  liked 
beyond  all  other  groves,  and  seeing  a  dead 
tree  in  its  midst  he  called  some  men  to  him, 
and  said : 


244       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

"Bring  axes  and  hew  down  that  tree. 
Why  should  it  be  left  standing  when  it  is 
dead  ? " 

The  men  brought  axes  and  began  to  cut 
down  the  tree,  and  as  they  shook  it  to  see 
whether  it  would  soon  fall  a  bleached  and 
gigantic  skull  rolled  out  of  a  forked  branch, 
and  they  wondered  how  it  came  there.  They 
continued  their  cutting,  and  soon  from  the 
hollow  heart  of  the  tree  a  white  vapour  arose, 
like  the  mist  that  hangs  over  marshy  meadows 
on  a  hot  summer  evening.  When  it  reached 
the  men  one  after  another  fell  dead  to  the 
ground,  until  eighteen  were  lying  there.  The 
others,  seeing  their  companions  fall,  ran  away 
from  the  deadly  mist ;  but  they  did  not  escape 
altogether,  for  the  poisonous  vapour  entered 
their  eyes,  and  they  were  blinded  for  ever. 

Manannan,  who  alone  remained  uninjured 
by  the  enchanted  mist,  picked  up  the  skull, 
and  when  he  saw  the  empty  eye-socket  in  the 
middle  of  its  forehead  he  remembered  that, 
long  years  before,  Lugh  Lam-Fada  had  hidden 
the  head  of  Balor  of  the  Death-giving  Eye  in 
a  tree.  Seeing  that  the  venom  from  the 


THE  SHIELD  OF  MANANNAN   245 

eye  had  given  such  a  strange  power  to 
the  tree,  Manannan  caused  some  of  the 
branches  to  be  taken  to  his  dun ;  but  before 
any  one  went  near  the  tree  again  he  placed  a 
spell  on  it,  so  that  it  could  not  injure  any 
more  of  his  people. 

Then  Manannan  sent  for  Luchtine  the 
carpenter,  and  from  his  hidden  island  in  the 
sea  he  called  Culain  the  smith.  When  they 
came  he  said : 

"  From  these  dead  branches,  Luchtine, 
make  me  the  frame  of  a  shield ;  and  you, 
Culain,  forge  white  bronze  points  with  which 
to  stud  it,  and  make  the  centre  of  white 
bronze  also.  When  it  is  finished  bring  it  to 
me,  and  I  will  say  a  word  of  power  over  it, 
and  call  demons  to  dwell  in  it,  so  that  it  shall 
be  a  true  shield  of  protection  for  any  hero  who 
may  carry  it  hereafter ;  but  for  his  enemies  it 
will  be  a  shield  of  death." 

"  This  shall  be  a  shield  such  as  the  world 
never  saw  before,"  said  Culain,  "  for  I,  too,  will 
invoke  war-spirits  to  guard  it  night  and  day, 
and  when  any  danger  threatens  it  will  warn 
the  hero  who  carries  it.  Like  the  rush  and 


246       HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

thunder  of  a  mighty  wave  its  warning  will 
be,  and  the  sound  of  it  will  awaken  fear  in 
the  hearts  of  the  enemy." 

Culain  and  Luchtine  carried  the  wood 
away,  and  after  some  days  they  returned  to 
Manannan,  bringing  a  very  perfect  shield  with 
them.  The  centre  shone  like  the  moon,  and 
the  frame,  with  its  white  bronze  points,  was 
like  a  circle  of  stars  surrounding  it.  Manannan 
then  took  it,  and  put  a  powerful  enchantment 
on  it,  so  that  to  the  hero  who  carried  the 
shield  it  should  be  a  silver  cloud  of  protection, 
but  to  his  enemies  it  should  be  a  red  mist  of 
war. 

Whenever  the  hostile  powers  of  the  dark 
underworld  were  contemplating  war  on 
Manannan  the  shield  would  give  him  warning, 
and  taking  it  in  his  hand  he  would  go  out 
alone  against  his  enemies,  conquering  and 
destroying  them  without  receiving  any  hurt 
himself. 

Often,  too,  Manannan  would  lend  his 
shield  to  great  kings  and  heroes  for  whom  he 
had  an  affection,  and  so  long  as  they  carried 
it  they  were  neither  hurt  nor  killed.  The  last 


MANANNAN  PUT  A  POWERFUL  ENCHANTMENT  ON  THE  SHIELD 


THE  SHIELD  OF  MANANNAN  247 

great  hero  who  carried  it  was  Fionn  mac 
Cumall,  and  whenever  he  went  into  battle 
the  shield  would  thunder  like  a  great  wave 
crashing  against  cliffs,  bringing  fear  to  Fionn's 
enemies ;  but  to  his  own  ears  it  sounded  like 
a  very  sweet  war-song.  After  the  death  of 
Fionn  no  other  king  or  hero  bore  the  enchanted 
shield,  for  it  disappeared  ;  but  the  legend  says 
that  when  St.  Patrick  came  to  Ireland  he 
found  it  and  caused  it  to  be  burnt. 

This  I  do  not  think  is  likely.  I  imagine 
Manannan  took  the  shield  back  to  his  own 
world,  knowing  that  when  Fionn  passed  away 
the  long  line  of  great  heroes  and  warriors  had 
come  to  an  end. 


THE  SLUMBER  OF  FIONN 

IN  Donegal  there  is  a  hill,  lifting  itself  over 
a  bog  filled  with  the  bleached  grey  stumps  of 
trees,  the  dead  remains  of  a  forest  that  was 
there  thousands  of  years  ago. 

It  is  many,  many  years  now  since  a  man 
was  walking  through  the  valley  at  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  searching  for  little  rare  plants  and 
herbs  that  grow  in  boggy  places  and  over 
lonely  mountains.  After  a  time  he  sat  down 
to  rest,  and  casting  his  eyes  over  the  hillside 
saw,  quite  near  to  the  summit,  a  small  dark 
cleft  in  the  mountain,  which  he  never 
remembered  to  have  seen  before.  As  he 
sat  looking  at  it  he  remembered  the  legends 
his  mother  had  told  him,  when  he  was  a 
child,  about  this  mountain :  how  there  were 
mysterious  beings  dwelling  in  vast  caves 
inside  it,  and  that  the  entrance  to  the  caves 

248 


THE  SLUMBER  OF  FIONN     249 

could  never  be  found,  for  it  was  hidden  by 
spells  and  druidical  mists  from  the  eyes  of 
men. 

Again  and  again  he  looked  at  the  dark  spot, 
half  expecting  to  see  it  vanish  and  become 
green,  like  the  rest  of  the  hillside ;  but  it  still 
remained  visible.  Then  he  determined  to 
climb  up  to  it,  and,  keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on 
the  cleft,  began  the  ascent.  When  he  reached 
it,  he  found  that  what  appeared  to  be  a  small 
hole  from  the  valley  below  was  really  a  very 
wide  and  lofty  entrance  to  an  immense  cave, 
which  seemed  to  penetrate  far  into  the  interior 
of  the  hill. 

He  walked  some  distance  into  this  cave, 
and  then  came  to  a  still  larger  one,  shaped 
like  a  vast  circular  chamber,  and  filled  with  a 
faint  golden  misty  light.  A  great  wonder  and 
fear  came  upon  him  as  he  stood  on  its  thresh- 
old and  looked  within,  for  lying  on  the  sandy 
ground  was  a  multitude  of  armed  and  gigantic 
men,  their  right  hands  clasping  unsheathed 
swords,  and  their  shields  covering  their  breasts, 
while  by  the  side  of  each  warrior  a  wolf- 
hound lay  as  though  asleep.  In  the  midst  of 


250      HEROES  OF  THE  DAWN 

the  floor  reposed  a  more  stately  warrior  than 
the  others,  with  silver  hair  flowing  over  his 
shoulders ;  at  his  head  was  a  silken  banner, 
with  a  golden  sun  rising  above  the  horizon, 
and  on  either  side  of  him  a  hound  rested. 

The  man  looked  at  them  ;  he  thought  they 
must  be  warriors  who  had  died  long  ages  ago, 
but  the  colour  still  remained  in  their  cheeks, 
and  the  red  in  their  lips,  as  though  they  only 
slept.  He  walked  a  few  paces  into  the  cave, 
and  stumbled  over  a  long,  carved  wooden 
instrument  half-buried  in  the  sand.  He  raised 
it,  and  standing  it  on  one  end,  discovered  it 
to  be  a  trumpet  or  horn  of  great  antiquity. 
Placing  his  lips  to  the  mouth-piece  he  breathed 
into  it,  and  a  musical  humming  note  filled  the 
chamber.  At  the  sound  the  hounds  raised 
their  heads  and  bayed,  and  a  clash  of  swords 
and  shields  rose  as  the  warriors  sat  upright, 
and  from  the  lips  of  the  silver-haired  warrior 
in  the  centre  came  the  words  :  "  Is  the  time 
yet  come  ? " 

But  the  man  turned  and  fled  from  the  cave 
in  fear.  He  knew  then  that  these  ancient 
warriors  were  Fionn  and  his  heroes,  who  wait 


LYING  ON  THE  SANDY  GROUND  WAS  A  MULTITUDE  OF  ARMED  AND 
GIGANTIC  MEN 


THE  SLUMBER  OF  FIONN     251 

there,  wrapped  in  an  age-long  slumber,  for 
the  coming  of  the  day  when  the  war-music 
of  the  Dord-Fian,  the  great  trumpet  of  the 
Fianna,  will  echo  through  the  cave.  When 
that  day  comes  they  will  ask  again  the  question, 
"  Is  the  time  yet  come  ?  "  and  it  will  no  longer 
remain  unanswered,  for  they  will  hear,  "  The 
time  is  come  "  ;  and  with  sword  and  shield  in 
hand  they  will  arise  and  go  forth  to  do  battle 
for  Ireland  once  again. 


THE   END 


NOTE 

THESE  stories  are  founded  on  legends  mainly 
derived  from  Silva  Gadelica  and  the  Transactions 
of  the  Ossianic  Society.  For  some  details  and  one 
or  two  legends  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Standish 
O'Grady's  Critical  and  Philosophical  History. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  LOS  ANGELES 

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This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


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HOV221972 

..CHARGE- 
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ID 


Form  L-0 
25m -2, '43(5205) 


UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNU 

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